Claimed
by Digitallace
Summary: D/H total AU/vamp Lucius is molding Harry into the new Dark Lord. What will happen when Draco finds Harry Potter in hi own home being worshipped by his family? Will he fall in love as his destiny indicate, or will he seek to destroy him?
1. Chapter 1 Bought & Sold

Authors Note: Here is the last of the 4 stories I am going to start. I may have another one shot or two in the mix, but nothing multi chapter planned as of yet. This story is AU and hardly Cannon compliant. Hope you like.

Chapter 1 Bought and Sold

It was a cold damp April morning when a knock on the door sent a shove into Harry's back, pushing him toward the door. "Well, what are you waiting for, answer it boy," Vernon Dursley droned, more absorbed in the television than his own family. "It's not civilized to keep people waiting on the doorstep."

"It's not civilized shoving around children either," Harry muttered softly, unheard by the dimwitted muggle ears.

He went to the door and opened it a crack, peering out into the gloomy morning. A gust of wind ruffled his already messy raven locks and he adjusted the flimsy glasses on his face.

In the doorway stood an unfamiliar and intimidating figure. Not as tall or as wide as the first stranger who came to call on him when he was eleven, but just as peculiar looking.

Though the man in the doorway might not be coming to call on Harry at all, perhaps it was a business associate of his uncles, but he doubted it. Judging by the sleek expensive looking black robes he wore over not-quite-this-century clothing, he assumed the man was a wizard.

"Mr. Potter?" the man asked, his aristocratic drawl sending shivers down Harry's spine.

"It's Harry," he responded dutifully. "Just Harry."

The pale man sneered. "Yes, well _just_ Harry, are you going to invite me in or shall I stay out in the cold like a commoner?"

Harry almost requested he stay outside, or at the very least 'go away' but was interrupted before he could respond by the thick voice of his uncle. "Well, who is it boy?"

She pale man moved Harry and the door aside with his ominous looking cane and strode purposefully into the Dursley's living room, giving his long blonde hair a flick when he stopped.

"I, sir, am Lucius Malfoy," he said, no longer addressing Harry, but barely bothering to look at Vernon either.

His uncle's face turned purple as he stood, shaking his fat finger at the man called Lucius. "Now you see here, I told that giant oaf Haggard before, Harry won't be going to that school. Magic isn't normal, and as long as he lives under our roof, Harry's not going to that infernal school."

Lucius sneered again; it seemed something he was quite adept at. "If you're speaking of the grounds keeper _Hagrid_, I don't blame you. He's a poor excuse for a wizard, even as a half-blood. I wouldn't listen to a thing he said either."

"No," he continued, his face set in haughty indifference; "I have come to you with a much different offer. I wish to _buy_ the boy from you."

Vernon looked perplexed. "You what?"

It took a great deal of effort to keep himself from rolling his eyes, but his restraint won out as he looked levelly at the portly man in front of him. "I wish to purchase young Potter and put him to work at my home."

"You want to make him a slave?" he asked, not entirely objectionable to the idea.

"Slave is such a harsh word, he'll be a… pupil or sorts, serving me and my family and our home," his cold steel eyes flickered down to Harry, who shuddered in response.

"It's no skin off my teeth if you want to have him scrub your toilets, you said you'll be paying me for him?" Vernon asked greedily.

The blonde raised his nose in disgust at the description the foul muggle gave, but nodded nonetheless. "Yes, I'll give you ten thousand pounds for the boy," Lucius responded.

Vernon's fat jaw dropped open. "Ten… thous- he's all yours mister," he said finally.

Lucius was pleased, he was prepared to offer much higher for the boy, but apparently these muggles were never taught to negotiate.

Harry slumped and sighed. If he were honest with himself he knew that Vernon would have given him away for free, just to be rid of him, but a small part hoped that for once, the man would treat him like family.

You don't sell family off to the highest bidder, let alone the _only _bidder.

Lucius nodded sharply and turned toward the door. "I'll be back for him in the morning. Make sure his things are packed and waiting by the fireplace." He looked down at Harry again and rubbed a lock of the boy's ebony hair between his fingers and thumb and dropped it unceremoniously. "And do _bathe_ before I get here, boy. You're utterly disgusting."

Harry resisted the urge to stick out his tongue like a child and just glared at him instead. Lucius patted his gloved hand roughly against Harry's cheek and walked back out into the cold April morning.

Harry huffed and stalked back to his cupboard, ignoring the whoops and hollers from the living room as Vernon and Petunia celebrated their newfound fortune.

--

If Harry had the room he would pace, but as it was, inside his cupboard the best he could hope for was to be able to stretch his legs all the way out in front of him. Even that was a hard pressed task, and barely worth the effort it would take to achieve it.

His mind wandered over thoughts about the mysterious stranger who had been there earlier in the day. He was very peculiar… and rude. Harry disliked him right off the bat, though he may very well be an improvement over his uncle.

From the sounds of things though, Harry was just going from one prison to another. Not that it mattered much to him, he would be eighteen in a few months and could do however he pleased. He was prepared to tolerate another six months in the Dursley's idea of hell; at least the stranger's house would be a change of pace.

Maybe he would even get his own room, instead of having to live in a cupboard under the stairs, or at least maybe they would have a larger, roomier cupboard for him to sleep in. The man did seem wealthy enough.

The most perplexing thing however, was how the man even knew about him. When the large man – if you could call him a man – came to him years ago and told him he was a wizard, it made Harry laugh.

Even when another man, much older than the first, called upon them a few days later, Harry could barely contain his skepticism. The man had watched him with twinkling blue eyes and tried to convince Harry to go with him, but it was no use. Harry didn't believe a word of it. They just seemed like medieval festival rejects coming to play a joke on him, or more likely on his Uncle.

It was rubbish really; there was no such thing as magic. But then Harry thought about it, and the more he let his mind be open to the idea, the more he noticed things; things about himself, things that he could do that couldn't be explained any other way.

He could talk to snakes for instance. Surely that must have been a magical trait, the ability to talk to animals. It was only snakes though. He tried once to talk to a squirrel in the garden and only got himself bitten.

Things just seemed to happen around him when he was angry or afraid. The giant man had offered to take him to a magical school, but Vernon had refused. Harry was too afraid of the oaf to leave with him, so he stayed with his Aunt and Uncle.

They seemed pleased with his decision at first, but then as Harry decided that what the man had said must have been true, they were not so happy. Especially once Harry started focusing.

With a bit of determination, Harry was able to channel his abilities so that he could use them without the need of being hurt or upset. They were still somewhat tied to his emotions, but only to a smaller degree. He was able to do things now that were previously unthinkable, such as wash the dishes with magic.

Not that he would ever do so in the presence of his family. They were still terrified of Harry's powers, and when they were scared they tended to punish him much more severely. So Harry kept each new development to himself, but always wondered what it would have been like to go to the school the large man had mentioned.

Now it seemed, though the situation was far less agreeable, that Harry would get another chance to live in the magical community, which he could feel lurking all around him. He had so many questions about that other world, and he hoped that he could get that Lucius fellow to answer some of them.

--

It was nine in the morning and Harry was standing next to the hearth waiting to be claimed. He had been standing there with his tiny rucksack for almost three hours. The man had never told them when he would be there to pick him up, and Vernon woke him up very early just in case he arrived at dawn.

He hadn't a clue why he was standing by the fireplace to begin with. It seemed to Harry that it would be just as efficient to wait in the drive, or even by the door. He began to daydream about what going to the magic school would have been like, when the clock struck fifteen after.

A violent green flame erupted in the hearth and when the flames died, Harry could see a man standing in their wake. Lucius stepped out and looked around at the surprised faces and muttered something under his breath. He tipped his head and smiled falsely, his teeth pearly white and perfect, yet still the smile was unpleasant.

He made a show of dusting off his robes and glaring disdainfully at the ash filled fireplace. "I'm here to collect the boy," he said at last

Vernon nodded and shoved Harry closer to the stranger. Harry stumbled on the rug, but Lucius caught him and made certain he didn't fall. "Where are your things? I thought I asked that you have them prepared," he asked sternly.

Harry held up his bag, which really only held a toothbrush, two books and one change of clothing.

Lucius looked at him incredulously. "Those are _all_ your things?" he asked in shock. Harry only nodded.

The blonde wizard turned on the Dursley's. "You muggles ought to be ashamed, treating him this way. Even as a _half_ blood he's far superior to the likes of you," he sneered. "Your fee." He threw a black velvet pouch at the stricken couple and pulled Harry toward the face of the fireplace, taking another velvet pouch from his robe and holding it out to Harry.

"Listen closely, Potter. Reach in and take a handful," he whispered, indicating the shimmering dust inside the pouch. "Throw it into the fire and shout 'Malfoy Manor'. Do you understand?" Harry nodded. "Go on then, I'll be right behind you."

Harry took one final look around his childhood home. Dudley was sitting on the couch, wide-eyed watching Harry intensely. Vernon and Petunia were paying him no mind and just counting out their money. Harry sighed. "Well, good bye then," he muttered, not expecting a reply, but still feeling dejected when none came.

He reached into the bag, letting the cool sparkly dust pool in his palm. He tossed it into the fireplace and shouted his destination. The green flames erupted again and he took a tentative step into them.

He was immediately whisked from the room, his head spinning as he saw what looked to be thousands of other fireplace whiz by his head. He finally came to a halt and tumbled, sliding across polished marble tile, until he hit a table with a thud.

A moment later Mr. Malfoy strode out of the same fireplace quite gracefully, and stared at Harry with amused annoyance. "Well, you certainly need to be trained up. You can't even floo properly. Those muggles were retched to keep you from attending school."

Harry looked up at the blonde, perplexed.

Mr. Malfoy took one glance at Harry's confused face and groaned inwardly. It was going to take a lot of work to bring Harry up on even the most mundane of magical terms. "A muggle is what we call a non-magical human," he began.

Harry nodded. "I know that one, it was the other one… floo? I don't know that name."

Lucius chuckled, and it was an odd sound to Harry, unexpected. "Floo is the mode of transportation we just used. There are three ways that we wizards can use to get from one place to another. The Floo is one, apperating is another and the last is to travel by portkey, but you'll learn all about these things in class."

Blinking in confusion Harry sat up and looked incredulously at the man standing before him. "Class? Are you going to teach me about magic?"

Lucius walked briskly from the parlor, beckoning Harry to follow him. "Not me certainly. I haven't the patience for that, but I have arranged for tutors to instruct you in our ways." The walked up the stairs to second floor and down a wide glistening corridor.

Everything was immaculate, and Harry noticed for the first time how utterly huge the manor was. He's never seen anything like it. The floor was an expensive looking white marble, veined in black and silver. The walls were covered in textured green brocade wallpaper, and candle sconces dotted the wall between doorways and paintings.

Harry was so enthralled with the décor that it barely even registered that the paintings were moving. When he did finally notice, he jumped with a start, bumping once again into Lucius. With a reserved sigh the blonde man steadied Harry and introduced him to Phinneus Malfoy, his great great grand uncle.

The man in the painting merely grunted and dismissed them with a wave. They stopped further down the hall at the forth door on the left and Lucius turned toward Harry, watching him carefully.

"Magic is your heritage, Potter. You and your parents were both magical, though only your father was a pureblood as I am. I think you'll find however, that if you align yourselves with the right types of wizards, that you'll barely even notice that you're only a half blood. Both of your parents were quite powerful after all. And you… you, Potter are more powerful already, than both of your parents combined."

"How do you know that I'm powerful?" Harry asked, a shiver going down his spine at the mention of his parents.

Lucius chuckled again, and it was like a slithering snake. "You don't think I just chanced upon you out in Little Whinging do you, boy?"

"Well, no…" Harry had thought about it several times and had no idea why the man paid him of all people a visit yesterday.

Mr. Malfoy grinned tersely. "The Ministry caught wind of an influx of magical activity from that area. After some due diligence I found that you were being hidden there, on Privet drive, right under all our noses. Quite clever really, but not clever enough it seems."

Harry hadn't a clue what he was being hidden from, or who was doing the hiding for that matter, so he just smiled and pretended to understand perfectly. He was good at that.

Lucius opened the door they had been standing in front of and stepped aside, letting Harry walk in first. His mouth gaped as he took in the room. It was like a little house, tucked into a large one. The room was white and pale blue and quite large.

There was a small sitting room with a fireplace at least twice the size of the one at the Dursley's. In another area, separated by two large built-ins stuffed with manuscripts, was a large white four-poster bed. The linens alone probably cost more that his uncle made in a month. Two doors flanked the wall adjacent to the bed, one seemed to lead into a bathroom, while the other was shut and Harry couldn't even guess at what it opened to.

"Is this your room?" Harry asked, still mesmerized.

The blonde screwed up is face in distaste. "Merlin, no. This is the guest wing. This will be your suite for now, though if you do well in your studies and gain proper control of your magic we'll see about moving you to the main house, maybe put you in a suite next to my son."

"You have a son?" Harry's face lit up like a Christmas tree. Harry never got on with his fat cousin Dudley, and hoped maybe this other boy would be nicer, as it seemed Lucius was far nicer than Vernon.

"Draco," Lucius said with a nod. "He's your age. He's at Hogwarts now, but he'll be back home in just a few weeks."

Harry felt slightly dejected at the idea of having to wait for so long to meet him, but he supposed he would have a lot to do if Lucius was serious about tutoring him.

"Well, I'll leave you to… unpack," he sneered at the small duffle bag in disgust. "Just leave the… sack there on the table and I'll have Dobby retrieve it and throw it out. You'll find suitable clothing in the closet there, and toiletries in the washroom."

With that, Lucius turned on his heel and marched out, shutting the door firmly behind him. Harry wandered over to the door he had pointed at, the one next to the bathroom. He opened the door and marveled to himself. It was in fact a closet, however it was larger than both of Dudley's bedrooms combined.

Most of the racks were lined with expensive looking robes in a multitude of colors, as well as a smaller rack in the back with several designer muggle outfits. He pulled a couple of things down, holding them against his body. They seemed as though they would fit far better than any of Dudley's cast off's.

Harry smiled to himself as he explored his new room. He could pace if he wanted, in fact he could probably run a relay race with the space he had. Instead, Harry took the sack from his shoulder, pulled out the two books he had brought, placing them on the bookshelves with the others, and tossed the rest on the table as Lucius had instructed.

He didn't know who Dobby was, but figured the man could take the entire sack _and_ its contents for all he cared.

--

Please review... it will keep me updating, since now I have a lot of updating to do. lol


	2. Chapter 2 False Luxuries

Authors Note: As always, thanks to my beta Alexandra. Prompt and clever as usual. There was a bit of discrepincy as to whether or not in the UK 17 or 18 is the age of adulthood. I knew in the magical world you are no longer a minor at 17, but we both wikipedia-ed it and got opposite answers, so whether or not it is true, for the sake of this story, normal UK citizens do not come of age until 18, but the magical world is still 17. I mostly just didn't want to re-write the chapter around it being otherwise. lol. If you haven't already, check out my other stories, and my header art for them on my website - or my livejournal.

Chapter 2 False Luxuries

Lucius had left him several hours ago and after a bath in the luxurious marble tub and changing into clothing from his new wardrobe, Harry was getting bored.

He was looking through the vast array of tomes on his shelves when a faint pop startled him, making him turn around. There by the door, bowing low was a… well Harry didn't know what it was, but it certainly wasn't human.

Fighting the urge to scream, he inched away ever so gently, trying not to draw its attention. The thing looked up at him then and its bulbous eyes looked frightened. "Mr. Potter sir, I am Dobby, sir. Master sent me up to tell you that lunch is ready, sir."

So this was Dobby. "Do… Dobby? Wh- what _are_ you?"

The large eared creature bowed again, its nose touching the floor. "I'm a house elf, sir."

"An elf? Really?" Harry asked excitedly.

The creature scoffed slightly. "A _house_ elf, sir," he corrected, as if the distinction would mean something to Harry. "If you don't mind Dobby asking, are you really _the_ Harry Potter, sir?"

Harry shot Dobby a confused look and merely shrugged.

Dobby whispered, glancing around nervously. "There are legends about you, that you killed the Dark Lord when you were only a baby."

Laughter filled the room. "Me? No, I've never killed anybody. I think I would recall something like that. You must be thinking of someone else." The idea made him give pause though. What if Lucius also thought that he was this other Harry Potter? What if he realized his mistake and sent him back to the Dursley's. Best not give him a reason to, Harry thought to himself.

The house elf bowed again and was gone with another faint pop. "Wait," Harry shouted into thin air. "How do I get to the dining room?"

--

As Harry padded into the dining room, Lucius looked at him appraisingly.

In truth, Lucius had been studying Harry for several weeks before approaching his home the day before. The boy was ragged and uncouth, but obviously held a raw magical power within him. He had spied the boy doing several bouts of magic without a wand, and though not unheard of for a wizard to be able to do wandless magic, it was rare, and _never_ found amongst children.

Technically Harry was no longer a child, at least not according to wizard law, but he was certain Harry was unaware of this fact when he let Lucius pull him from his home earlier that day. No doubt he was under the impression that he would not be an adult until the age of eighteen, which gave Lucius merely six months to mold the boy, and convince him to remain under Malfoy influence.

It was easy pickings so far. The boy didn't have a thing to his name, and the muggle family that raised him treated him worse than Lucius treated his house elves. It was all too easy to impress the child with the extravagance of the Manor and his new surroundings. It really wasn't a challenge worthy of the cleverness of a Malfoy, but the prize made it worth Lucius' time.

Once he was finished, he would have under his control the new Dark Lord, for Harry had the potential to be as powerful, if not more so, than Voldemort before him. This time he wouldn't merely be a sidekick, a number two to the Dark Lords whim. This time _he_ would be pulling the puppet strings.

His first task was to make the boy presentable. Something needed to be done with that mop on his head, and those filthy broken glasses, though he was otherwise a handsome boy. He didn't hold the delicate beauty of his own son, but darker, harder edged good looks that you couldn't buy, but rather had to be blessed with at birth. Harry and his son would make an excellent team one day.

Light and dark—rulers of the Wizarding world and obliterators of mudblood's and muggles.

Lucius no longer took issue with half bloods. There were too many of them, and too few purebloods to kill them off. It was better that they allow them to inter-marry, to re-strengthen the line of wizards, and over time, there would be no more half bloods, only pure or those who were close to pure.

He would probably even allow Draco to marry a half blood if he so chose. That was how committed he was to the cause. Tainting his own bloodline had been an unspeakable idea just a few years before, but now, it was an acceptable part of the changing process.

"Potter, I trust you found your accommodations to your liking?" Lucius asked, pleasantly. The patient happy demeanor he had to uphold for the boy was the worst part of the process. He could tell Harry was still distrustful though, so it wouldn't do to let his softer side falter.

He nodded politely and sat across from Lucius. "Yes, very much, sir."

The blonde man beamed at him, and this time it was mostly genuine. He appreciated that he wouldn't have to train the boy to address him as 'sir'. "Excellent. Potter, this is my wife Narcissa, you may call her Lady Malfoy or madam," he said, gesturing to the lovely lady sitting at the far end of the table.

She smiled sweetly and nodded her head. She was thrilled to have Harry in her home. She missed Draco so much when he was away at school, and having Harry there would be a great distraction from her loneliness. She could already tell the boy had a warm caring heart, and only hoped her husband's plans to turn Harry to darkness would somehow fail. Though she doubted they would.

Lucius was a powerful man, but not as powerful a wizard, so he made up for his lack of magical talent with cunning. It almost always worked. He was rarely denied by anyone, herself included.

She dreaded the idea of this innocent boy being pulled down the same dark road as her son. Her poor Draco, with no real friends because he couldn't stop belittling everyone, and who felt entitled to everything he had, not appreciating any of it. Whereas Harry was strong all on his own, never having a family to love him or care for him, and barely anything to his name. She wondered how the boys would get on together.

--

Lunch consisted of hot pressed sandwiches and stew, which Harry ate hungrily. He hadn't bothered with breakfast that morning so he was famished. He saw Lucius watching him with mild disdain from his seat and Narcissa with amusement from hers.

The Malfoys looks so similar they could be brother and sister, yet their personalities were like night and day. Harry already found himself taking a liking to Lady Malfoy, but there was something about Lucius that just didn't sit right with him.

It was informed to him that he would begin his studies the next day and that that afternoon, they would be going to Diagon Alley to get tools and have, as Mr. Malfoy said, 'something done with that hair'.

Lucius left them to make preparations for their trip and Harry fidgeted being alone with Narcissa. "Lady Malfoy?" he asked.

Smiling warmly she shook her head. "You need only call me that when my husband is around, when we are alone you may call me Cissy. It was what my sister used to call me."

Harry smiled sadly. "Did your sister die?" he asked, then immediately regretting it, thinking it was rude to ask such things of a stranger. He hated when strangers asked about his parents.

She shook her head solemnly. "No, Harry. She did some… questionable things and… I'm afraid she is a long way from here now. I miss her though."

That was something Harry could relate to well. "Yes, I know what you mean. Mr. Malfoy mentioned my parents earlier. Did you know them also?"

"I knew _of_ them, but no, I'm afraid your parents and my family ran in different… well different circles I guess you could say," she tittered.

Harry could understand that. He doubted his parents were nearly as well off as the Malfoy's and from what he could grasp from television shows and Vernon's dinner conversations, money stuck with money.

Again Harry wondered why he was brought to this place, into this family. "Lady… Cissy, why am I here? Really?"

She sighed and looked into Harry's pure green eyes. He was so innocent; she hated this, all of it. "Harry, I'm afraid it's too complicated for me to explain, but I'm happy you're here and I hope we can become close while you stay with us."

A wide grin spread across Harry's face and her heart broke a little, wondering how many of those she would get to see before her husband gave him nothing more to smile about.

--

The trip to Diagon Alley had been less exciting than Harry had hoped. Lucius had walked around the small village at such a quick pace that Harry had to use all of his concentration to not be left behind, and could barely spare a moment to look at the shops and people surrounding him.

Lucius had made it clear that Harry was to stay with him and to wear the cloak he had provided at all times. The cloak was simple and black, but the older man made Harry wear the cowl up so that his face was lost to the shadowy depths of it.

They first went to a wand shop called Olivander's. The little old man behind the counter was not pleased to see Mr. Malfoy, but helped Harry choose a wand nonetheless. Lucius seemed to be pleased when Olivander mentioned the wand's phoenix feather core, but Harry had no idea why that would be important.

After that they zipped in and out of several shops gathering books and supplies like Harry had never seen before. The last shop they visited was his least favorite. It was a sort of wizard barber and Harry left looking much different than when he had gone in.

He stood now, in front of the oversize mirror in his room in the manor and shook his head in dismay. His hair was longer than before, nearly shoulder length, and fell back into soft ebony ringlets. His vision had been corrected with a spell and his glasses thrown in to the first rubbish bin Lucius was able to find.

He wore a set of the robes from his closet and they made him look slightly paler. Looking in the mirror he realized that he appeared at a darker version of the Malfoy's now, but seemed to fit in better. His hair and skin and overall appearance was now more polished than before. Even knowing how much nicer he looked, he still felt like an imposter.

Harry resisted the urge to run his hand through his raven locks, for he had already been scolded several times by Lucius for such a gesture.

Mr. Malfoy was still there in his rooms, helping Harry put away his things, and looked up at Harry's troubled expression. "Something wrong, Potter?"

Wincing, he looked back at the reflection of Lucius. "No, sir… it's just that…" he let his voice fade away, not entirely sure he wanted to confess his thoughts to the man.

"What is it, boy?" he asked with a hint of impatience.

"Well, I was just wondering… Why are you doing all of this for me? These things must cost you a fortune, you must know I have no way of repaying you?" he said at last.

Lucius looked thoughtful for a moment. "It must be obvious that money is no object for us, Mr. Potter. But certainly I am no fool, and I do expect payment for my helping you rise as a wizard, just not monetary payment," he said with a raised eyebrow.

Harry's eyes went wide as he looked at himself in the mirror, his eyes flicking back to Lucius' hungry ones ever so briefly. Was that his purpose here, to have sex with Lucius in return for tutoring? Though not the most repulsive idea he could think of… it certainly wasn't something he wished for. The man was… old after all.

The terror must have shown in his eyes because Lucius laughed out loud. "Boy, be serious! Why would I need you for such things when I have such a beautiful wife at my beck and call?" Had his thoughts really been that obvious?

Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Then what could _I_ ever do for someone like you Mr. Malfoy?"

"Let us discuss that when the time comes," Lucius said, still laughing lightly under his breath as he left Harry alone in his room.

Authors Note: As with the rest of my stories I'm holding chapters hostage for reviews. lol


	3. Chapter 3 Mysterious Potion

Authors Note: As I have mentioned to some of you before, this story took an unexpected turn while I was writing it. I am of the school of thought that you write the story that is presented to you, and not force it into something that it isn't. That being said, this fic seemed to morph into something all new and though to me it was a needed progression... I only hope you all still like it when you finish this chapter. It's not at all where I had originally planned to take the story, but I think it will be better than before. Also, those of you...and I know that's all of you really, who are eagerly awaiting Draco, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. Please put down your pitch forks and stop shouting "burn the witch! Burn her" lol. I promise that though the story took an unexpected turn, it is still very much D/H slash and the wait for Draco will be well worth it. I'm expecting this (next to Healing) to be my smuttiest fice yet. lol

Chapter 3 Mysterious Potion

Harry was nervous.

Lessons had been going well enough. His tutors told Lucius that he was a natural at everything they instructed him on. His innate magical talent seemed to have been very well developed in spite of never gaining proper schooling. Mr. Malfoy seemed immensely happy at the news, which should have in turn made Harry feel happy, but instead he felt fearful.

Perhaps it was the way some of the tutors leered at him, especially the one named Snape. The dark haired man didn't come very often and he usually flooed directly into the manor. He had taken one look at Harry's eyes and seemed immediately smitten with the boy. He was always leaning in too closely during the potion lessons and seemed to sniff the air around Harry like it was a fine perfume.

Though his fear could also have been attributed to the increasingly concerned looks that Narcissa gave him when he took tea with her, or the subtle frantic ways she asked Harry about his well being. She was terribly sweet and often took Harry for walks in the manor gardens. He much preferred her company to that of Lucius, but over the weeks he had stayed with them, she became more worrisome.

Though all that was strange to Harry, he was fairly certain he knew what made him fearful. Every night Lucius gave Harry a potion to drink, and every morning Harry woke up feeling… _different._

Any scar he had ever gotten a from a cut or scrape had faded. His skin was now a perfectly pale, almost luminescent shade of golden white. The nearly transparent look of his flesh made his dark violet veins show up starkly in some places, like his chest, neck and wrists.

His hair was still black as pitch and fell in perfect ringlets around his face, but it was even longer than before, curving just under his shoulder blades, and Lucius insisted he wear it down, no matter that it interfered with potion making and some of his charm work.

His nails were perfectly manicured, but sharp and could slice his own skin with ease. Which was another thing that bothered Harry, for when he was clumsy and accidentally cut his own flesh, he would only bleed a moment, before the wound would completely heal, leaving no mark behind.

The worst side effect of the potion seemed to be _internal_ however. Ideas that would once repulse Harry, or at the very least give him pause, were suddenly highly acceptable and in fact preferable.

He woke up in the middle of the night one night having recalled snippets of his dream. Pale flesh and perfect blonde hair whispering over his naked body, his nails leaving bloody rivulets in their back, and the heated flush of pink in the other boys- for he _knew_ it was a boy- skin, and soft lips pressing against his own.

The dream had caused Harry to wake up covered in a thin sheen of sweat and highly aroused. He even had to wank himself off before his body would let him settle back into sleep, worried the moment he drifted under that he would see those same smoldering gray eyes, the ones that embarrassingly reminded him of Lucius.

He asked Narcissa about the potion the next morning, carefully omitting the possibility that he may have had an erotic dream about her husband, but she refused to answer him and only looked terrified that he was being given the draught at all. That night he overheard Narcissa and Lucius having a row over the brew and Lucius promised her that the process would be completed soon.

_What_ process Lucius seemed clever enough not to mention. But Harry was clever too, and he would find out on his own if needed.

--

Later that week, when the potions master arrived, Harry paid him more attention than he normally would, letting his long raven locks brush against the professor's hand, or letting his gaze linger a little too long on the other man's deep dark eyes.

He was blatantly flirting with the man, and it would have normally made him feel silly, but he had never felt so free from embarrassment or guilt for what he was planning to do to the unsuspecting professor, which was the only thing that gave him pause.

This was not like him.

Though that was the reason he had to be tricky and find things out on his own, and in his own way.

"Professor," Harry asked huskily.

"Really Harry, how many times have I told you to call me Severus," the man said, Harry could feel the professor's heartbeat flicker to life and begin thudding heavily in his chest.

Harry leaned in a little closer, letting his gaze flicker to Snape's thin lips. He darted his tongue out to lick his own and rejoiced in the effect it had on the professor, taking him completely off guard.

"Could you tell me about a particular potion?" Harry asked. "I saw it in the storage room, but it wasn't labeled."

Snape shivered at the sound of Harry's voice and nodded swiftly. "Yes, I'm sure I can identify it if you describe it to me."

"It was nearly black in color, but in the light could have been a very dark red," Harry began, noting that Severus was filing the information away. "It was very thick, and smelled metallic… like copper," he added.

The man paled, which was a feat in itself for someone so naturally pasty. "Harry, are you sure it was a potion, and not merely an ingredient?"

Harry looked perplexed, but nodded despite himself. "Yes. I'm certain," he replied. "Why?"

"What you describe sounds like blood," Severus muttered. "No potion I can think of mimics those attributes. If I knew what it tasted of I could even tell you what kind of blood it was, but…"

"Jasmine," Harry responded without thinking. He hadn't intended on Snape knowing he had drank the mixture.

Snape's eyes went wide as he listened to the boy's wistful description. He grabbed him firmly by the shoulders and shook him fiercely. "How much of it did you drink, Harry?"

"Not much," Harry lied. "I was curious what it was and I tasted a bit."

Severus sagged in relief. "Good. If it really tasted of jasmine, that would have made it vampire blood."

"And that would be bad why?" Harry asked, playing innocent.

"Well, over exposure to vampire blood can kill a human instantly," he said.

This news shocked Harry, maybe it wasn't blood after all he had been given, though he thought it would be impossible for Lucius to know of a potion that Snape did not. But obviously Harry wasn't dead, so he must be mistaken.

"Prolonged exposure however, will turn a human _into_ a vampire," he continued thoughtfully, as if no longer aware of Harry in the room as he hypothesized.

"How prolonged?" Harry asked quickly.

"One month. That's how long it take for the transformation to take place," he answered dutifully.

How long had Harry been drinking it? Weeks he knew for sure, but how many exactly? Two, three, or was he even closer than he thought?

"What would happen if a human were exposed to the vampire blood then suddenly stopped?" Harry asked.

Snape blanched as he took in the sight of Harry for what seemed like the first time. He raked his black eyes slowly over Harry's appearance drawing his own conclusions. "You've been drinking it haven't you?" he whispered, shuddering.

Harry nodded. "Lucius…"

"Yes, that would fit into his plans perfectly I'm sure," Snape snapped, nodding to himself.

"His plans?" Harry asked.

"Are not for me to discuss," Snape finished, corking several vials and levitating them over to shelves with haste.

"And the blood? If I stop drinking it?" Harry sighed, watching Severus pack his things away, ready to leave at a seconds notice. He stepped closer, running his finger across Snape's exposed throat and Severus shuddered, stepping away from Harry slowly.

Harry blinked away the feelings of lust coursing through his own veins and refrained from giving chase. He stepped back, bracing himself against the desk he had been working on. "And the blood," Harry repeated.

Snape took a deep shivering breath and let it out slowly. "How long?" he asked, and Harry knew he meant the length of time he had been given the 'potion'.

"I'm not sure, but more than two weeks, maybe more than three. I'm not even certain how long I've been here at the manor," Harry answered honestly.

Severus sighed. "Do you remember the day you started it?"

Harry nodded. "The night I met the last tutor."

"He was waiting for glowing reports from all of us," Snape muttered. "Slytherin through and through." He looked up at Harry then, and his eyes were filled with remorse. "I'm afraid it's too late then. That would make you only three days away from completing the transformation," he sulked.

Harry shook his head; unable to accept that that was the final word. "Severus, there has to be something you can do. You're the most brilliant professor I have, a potion, a spell… anything that could stop it?" Harry pleaded, falling to his knees.

"Perhaps if I had discovered it closer to the two week mark I could have combated the effects…" he mused.

"So what does that mean?" Harry asked urgently, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"It means you have a decision to make, Harry. Either you change from human to vampire in three days, or you stop drinking the offered blood and you die. The infection has already taken too strong a hold on your body, Harry. I'm sorry." With those final words, Severus left the lab swiftly, not sparing a second look to the boy who was slumped on the ground looking terrified and helpless.

Authors Note - Save the chapters! Review!


	4. Chapter 4 Blood Lords

Authors Notes: Many thanks to Alexandra, who has been a shining beacon of betadom through all my stories. lol. Still no Draco, sorry, next chapter I promise. grin.

Two nights had passed since Harry's meeting with Snape, and for two nights he dutifully drank the glass of blood Lucius brought him when he turned in for the evening. It was dinnertime on the third day and no one was speaking. Harry had never let Lucius know that he was aware of his plans, but he had hinted it to Narcissa, whose eyes shown with unshed tears at the table.

She was already mourning him.

"You'll be meeting my son in a week's time," Lucius said, interrupting the brooding silence.

"I look forward to it," Harry said with a nod.

"He'll love you I'm sure, just as we both do," he added, indicating to himself and Narcissa.

"You have both been so lovely to me," Harry said, his voice not betraying the agony and longing he felt for his former life. "I know you would do nothing at all to hurt me," he finished, looking directly at Lucius as he said it.

A silent sob wracked Narcissa's body and Lucius merely nodded and looked away. Harry sighed and continued to push his food around on his plate. He had grown decreasingly hungry over the weeks, but didn't really notice it until he heard Snape's news.

He had spent the last few days in the large manor library researching everything he could about vampires, so as to learn more about what to expect if he did choose to continue down the path Lucius had set for him.

It wasn't a decision he was willing to make lightly. If he were to shift into the world of darkness, he wanted to do so with his eyes wide open. He would be almost impossible to kill once he transformed, and so his last and only chance out was to decline drinking the glass of blood tonight.

After tonight, if he chose to continue, his life would be different. He would be forced to live on the life force of others, and his power could manifest in several ways. No matter the change, there would be blood lust; there was no changing that. Humans would have to die in order for Harry to keep living, and this fact alone might stay his hand tonight when he went to bed.

He would no longer be able to stand the light of day; it would injure his eyes and burn his skin. People would be drawn to him inexplicably, like a bee to a flower, like prey to its predator. The change would also increase his innate ability for magic, and that paired with practical immortality was what he believed forced Lucius's hand this way.

It was something he had gleaned from Narcissa and his tutors. When they spoke of Lucius, they spoke of a man who craved power the same way that a human craved air. He wanted to be surrounded by it always.

It seemed he had found the ultimate circuit of power in the poor naive Harry Potter.

--

Narcissa had come to his room to wish him a good night. It was odd behavior in the way that she actually came to his suite of rooms to do so. Usually she would kiss him goodnight after their meal and retreat to her own wing of the manor.

But this time, she was saying goodbye, not goodnight.

She expected him to wake up a monster and she was fearful of it. She would be afraid of him. They would no longer be able to take their afternoon tea and walk in the gardens, and she would no longer feel comfortable with Harry at her dining table, knowing what he really wanted to eat would not be served.

He wondered how long it would take to control his urges. How many days, weeks or months it would take before he was no longer killing and draining every human within sight.

After his adopted mother left, Lucius came into the room with the same crystal goblet, filled with the same thick red liquid he had been plying Harry with for a month. "Harry," he nodded, handing over the chalice.

Harry took it and stared for long moments. First at Lucius, then at the offending glass. "Are you certain you wish for me to drink this, sir," he asked, meeting his cold gray gaze.

Lucius seemed startled for a moment. "Of course. It's nothing different from your nightly potions. Do you see some change in it?" he asked, seeming to know that Harry would say he did not.

"No," Harry said, and Lucius relaxed slightly. "But I do see a difference in myself."

The older man took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. "Is there something you wish to ask me?"

"I only want to know how long I'll be a monster," Harry whispered.

Lucius took the glass from the boy's hand and placed it on the nightstand. "You won't be a monster, Harry," he said gently. "I'll help you, I promise. I'll see you through this transformation."

"What if I kill you?" Harry asked, not entirely displeased with the prospect.

"You won't. I'm your family. You would no sooner hurt me than you would Narcissa," he said. "It is Malfoy blood mixed with the Vampire blood in that glass. You'll be bonded to our family as if you were my own son."

"And if I refuse it?" he asked even quieter.

"Well, if you know as much as it seems you do – and I'll be speaking with Severus about this – then you'll know that if you refuse to drink this glass, you'll die," he answered.

Harry nodded.

"I won't let you do that," Lucius said, slightly more menacing than before. "I'll force it on you if I must."

Harry nodded again, and picking up the glass, lifted it as if in a toast. He tipped the contents into his mouth and swallowed. He barely registered the glass falling from his fingers and crashing to the ground with a shattering burst.

He only recalled the brief pain of his heart slowing, and the shock of trying to suck in air, but having none around him. Then he remembered darkness.

--

The curtains were drawn but faint light trickled in through them. His head pounded and after only a second Lucius entered the room. "How do you feel?" he asked, hovering over Harry's still form.

"Thirsty," Harry replied.

Lucius snapped his fingers and Dobby appeared in the room, a look of terror frozen on his face. He clutched a rope, and tied to the other end of it was a petite brunette girl. Her face was ashen with fear and the trembled at the other end of the rope.

"I have a present for you my son," Lucius said, his voice not betraying the fear he held for the boy. "You may have her, you my feed from her, you may use her as you wish." He bowed low and stepped from the room, locking the door behind him. With a faint pop Dobby also left, causing the girl to whimper and move closer to the door, away from Harry.

Harry licked his lips and nicked his tongue on the tip of his newly formed fangs. He could taste his own coppery blood and it made him even thirstier. The heartbeat of the girl across the room beat through his mind like a bass drum and made his head ache.

He slipped out of bed, feeling graceful and agile. The world around him seemed slower and sharper; as if he could see details he had never before seen. He took a step closer to the girl and her whimper was like sweet music to his ears.

He closed the vast distance between them in a blink of an eye and easily lifted her up to her feet. He ran a sharp nail across her exposed throat and it sliced her, causing her blood to well over and drip down her neck in a thin ribbon. He ran his tongue over the cut, shuddering at the taste of blood in his mouth.

She was sobbing silently now, a shivering wreck in his arms. He looked down at her an pity flared through his heart. She looked up nervously, and as soon as she met his transcendent green eyes, she was light and willing in his arms. She smiled up at him. "I'm yours," she murmured, closing her eyes.

Harry bit her throat and her skin seemed to melt away like butter. Hot coppery blood filled his mouth and he drank deeply, feeling his body strengthen and his head ache wane. He opened his eyes and saw the world coming into even sharper focus than before, as the girl grew lighter and lighter in his arms.

He drained her completely and stretched out his new unfamiliar body. Looking down he felt a surge of regret, but that was easily overshadowed by his new senses. He could hear things he had never heard before. The steady thrum of magic ebbing around him was almost tangible.

Stepping over to the door, he unlocked it by only touching it with his mind. No wand, no spell, just a simple thought.

He could hear Lucius pacing in his study on the other side of the manor and he went to him.

--

"Thank you," Harry said from the doorway.

If not for his new keen eyesight, Harry might not have picked up on the slightly furrowed brow, or the creases at the corner of Lucius's eyes. Without his enhanced hearing, he certainly wouldn't be able to hear his heartbeat quicken at the sight of him.

He bowed again and flinched when Harry touched his scalp. He looked up and Harry could plainly see the masked terror in his face. "There is nothing to thank me for, my lord," Malfoy intoned.

Harry laughed, and it was like thick brass bells. "I'm your lord now am I?"

Malfoy nodded. "You are by far the most powerful wizard on earth at this moment, my lord."

"And this was your intention?" Harry asked curiously. When Lucius only nodded, Harry decided he wanted more information, so he delved into the man's mind and pulled the information he sought.

He chuckled to himself. "Let me see if I have this correct… in order to assure your family's alignment with the next dark lord, you decided to _create_ him?"

The shock on Lucius's face was barely concealed, but Harry would have seen it regardless. He respected the man more for not keeping up pretenses. "Yes, my Lord, that was my plan. As your father, I would be bound to you in a way no other could be, thus ensuring my family's place in the coming years."

"Is it not true that you also seek to control me?" Harry asked, a hit of amused irritation in his voice.

Lucius blanched. "It is true that I hope to… influence you, yes."

"Ah, Lucius, ever the honeyed tongue," Harry said lightly and started walking circles around him. "As of now, I have no need to turn on my father," he hissed the last word, "not yet at any rate. I'm sure you are beginning to comprehend the error in your initial judgment."

Lucius bowed his head. "Yes my lord. Some of the side effects of the transformation are… unanticipated."

Harry clucked him tongue. "Surely a Malfoy should know to anticipate everything?"

Lucius nodded. "Yes my lord. I have been remiss."

"Is it safe for me to see mother do you think?" Harry asked. "I haven't tried to kill you once during our conversation, though I was tempted… just not for the reasons I had thought," he mused, more to himself than to Lucius.

"I am certain based on your current responsiveness that you will be able to hold your control with Narcissa as well." He took a deep breath before continuing. "Though, if it pleases you my lord, I shall like to accompany you."

Harry laughed again. "Do you think you could stop me if I wished to harm her?"

Lucius seemed to ponder his question and finally shook his head. "No, but if you were to kill her, I would hope to be there so that you could kill me next."

Looking in his mind he could see that his statement was true and so he gestured to the door in order for Lucius to lead the way. It felt odd to call him father, and Narcissa mother, but he could feel their blood coursing through his veins, he could smell their heady fragrance mixed with his own and he knew that whatever magic Lucius had tampered with had indeed bonded Harry to them.

As angry as he might be with Lucius he could not lay a hand on him. It would feel the same as injuring his own flesh and blood. It wouldn't keep him from making his life miserable, though. Lucius had a debt to fulfill, and Harry intended to make certain he would right his wrongs.

Author's note: I will accept reviews in the form of written text, song, dance or food product.


	5. Chapter 5 Return of the Prodigal Son

Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta Alexandra. Here's the chapter you have all been waiting for. The Draco chapter.

Chapter 5 Return of the Prodigal Son

Draco had been annoyed that no one met him on the platform at Kings Cross, and even more annoyed when neither his mother nor father waited for him at the entry gate. He sighed in resignation and found a nearby alley and apparated home to Malfoy Manor.

It looked much the same as when he had been there for Christmas holiday, but it _felt_ different. Usually the place seemed cold when he arrived, only warming when he had been there for a few days and settled in, but now it seemed cozy right off the bat.

Perhaps his parents were entertaining, which would explain their absence in picking him up. Still, it rankled him that he was so easily dismissed.

Draco strode elegantly up the long white gravel drive to the front entrance of his home. The doors opened, as they should for Malfoy blood, and allowed him to enter. He left his bags by the door and went in search of his father.

It was really his mother he wished to see, but if he didn't find Lucius first he would surely be told off.

He found his father in the study, pacing. It was an odd gesture for his father. He was never one to show emotion of any kind, much less worry.

"Father," Draco said tentatively and the man turned around, eyes wide and eager.

"Draco, my son. How was your trip? I'm sorry we could not be there to meet you but there were… extenuating circumstances," he said, a look of mild fear in his eyes.

"I'm fine, sir. I was just about to go and find mother, do you know where she is?" Draco asked.

Lucius nodded. "I need to introduce you to someone first, he's in the parlor with your mother now."

Draco followed him from the study and into the formal parlor. At least he had been right about his parents entertaining. It set him more at ease to know that he was not merely forgotten. He planned to remind his mother that a note could have been sent to him at the very least.

"Draco," his father began as they approached the parlor entrance, "I would like you to meet your brother."

His father bowed low as he walked into the room, and Draco was caught completely off guard by the man's actions and words. "Brother, but how can that be…" he muttered before looking up at the boy standing before him.

He had to be no older than Draco himself, but somehow exuded an ancient wisdom. He was pale, as pale as any of the Malfoy's, and his hair was black as ebony and fell in soft ringlets around his face.

He met the boy's eyes and became instantly enamored. They were the brightest most pure green Draco had ever seen. The boy smiled at him and Draco faltered.

Fangs.

The boy had fangs. "Father… this boy… he's a vampire."

He heard the distinct twinkling of his mothers laugh and suddenly realized that she had been standing next to the vampire boy. Had she been there the whole time? He looked at her, her pale face filled with joy, and her hand clasped within the vampire's.

"Get your hands off my mother," Draco snarled.

The boy took a step back and released Narcissa's hand gently. "I mean no one harm, least of all you and your family," he said, and his voice nearly stole Draco's breath. It sounded like sunshine and a warm summer day.

He quickly shook off the feeling. He had read that vampires could manipulate their voices, and often did in order to lure in prey. This vampire would not be feeding on Malfoy blood anytime soon.

A strong hand clasped his shoulder and he instinctively threw it off, trying to get away from his attacker. He looked back however to find his father hovering over him, an anxious look in his eyes. "Son, come with me back to the study and I will explain everything."

Draco hesitated, to argue with his father was an impossible thing, but he feared for his mother being left alone with the vampire beast. "Mother," he whispered.

It was not his father who answered though; it was the thing still standing beside his mother. "Please, go with Lucius," he told her. "I'll wait here. I can speak with my br- Draco after you explain things."

His father bowed again, which was really getting on Draco's nerves, and left the parlor, Draco and his mother trailing behind him.

--

Harry couldn't manage to call Draco his brother. There was something wrong about the word. Draco was more than that. When he had entered the room, it was like no one else existed but him. His beauty was captivating, and his molten silver eyes made him melt.

He would do anything to touch him, to protect him, to possess him.

Suddenly Harry recalled the hazy dreams he had experienced during his human life. The form, which until now he thought to be Lucius, only because of the uncanny resemblance in the snippets of imagery he could remember.

He now realized with a clarity that it was Draco he dreamed of.

He had to have him.

--

Dinner was a tense event.

Draco didn't speak a word, and Harry kept casting him furtive glances and trying to strike up a conversation, only to have Draco ignore him outright. Lucius was furious with his son's behavior and attempted to tell him off several times, only to be stopped each time by Harry.

"He'll come around on his own terms father, you cannot force this on him," Harry said.

"Stop calling him that," Draco spat. "He's not _your_ father!"

Harry looked at Draco calmly and nodded. "I understand your meaning, but in my current form he is as much my father as James Potter was to my human form. I cannot change that, loath as I am to admit it," he added, casting a scathing look at Lucius, who in turn swallowed thickly and bowed his head.

Draco shot Harry a furious sneer and then went back to pushing vegetables around his plate. The only person he answered for the remainder of the evening was his mother. She would ask him harmless questions about school and his marks and what he expected for his NEWT scores.

Harry could see the tear in her heart as the love for her son battled with the love for him, the new stranger who had only spent a few weeks in her home, but had endeared himself to her thoroughly. He sensed that she also felt the pull of their blood, as Lucius did, and that she felt as though Harry was her true son, just as clearly as Draco was.

He couldn't be certain in the way he could with Lucius however, because Harry had no power to read Narcissa's thoughts. Either they were too well guarded, or there was something faulty with that particular power, for he could not read Draco's either. Perhaps Lucius was the exception, being the blood donor for the mixture Harry drank in order to transform.

Either way, he could see the internal war she waged with herself because her son so completely loathed him. Harry wished to make him feel differently with all his heart, if a walking corpse could have a heart.

He knew his form was displeasing to Draco, but he wondered if it would have been any different if they had met while they both were human. Based on what he could so far glean, he doubted the boy would have acted much different toward Harry. At the moment his concern seemed to be his and his families safety, but there was an undertone of resentment that almost overshadowed that initial concern,

He was being replaced, or so he thought.

Harry had no wish for that, though. He only wanted to bond with Draco, not take his place amongst his beloved family.

--

Draco tossed and turned in his bed. The first night at home was always difficult. Sleeping in a new bed, no matter how familiar, was always hard for him after being away at Hogwarts for months, sleeping in his dorm.

The same thing always happened after summer break on his first night back in the Slytherin dorm rooms as well though.

He heard a faint noise and looked around his room, suddenly spotting a figure looming over his bed.

It was the vampire. _Probably here to suck my blood and finish me off_, he thought silently to himself. Obviously this _thing_ was ready to take over his family completely and wanted to take Draco out of the equation.

"Did Father not instruct you that it's improper to skulk around in people's rooms at night?" Draco scoffed. He wasn't going to let some bloodsucker intimidate him, no matter what his father said.

A low amused laugh rang out in Draco's ears, sending a shiver down his spine. "I'm not skulking, I could hear your restlessness and decided to take this opportunity to speak with you."

"Right," Draco sneered. "I know what you want."

The vampire was at the foot of Draco's bed, one hand wrapped around his bedpost and the other trailing pale fingers along the ornate carvings of the footboard. He leaned in slightly, as if studying Draco. "Do you?" he asked, his voice filled with something that Draco couldn't identify. "Do you really know what I want from you?"

Draco rolled his eyes, though he doubted the vampire could see him in the dark, so he decided to make his voice as scathing as possible. "I know what you want, but don't think I won't go without a fight."

The vampire tilted his head to the side and a look of sadness passed over his delicate features. "I don't want to fight with you," he said simply.

A harsh bark of laughter escaped Draco's lips. "No, I'm sure you would prefer it if I just laid still and let you kill me quickly and easily."

The vampire laughed again, and again Draco quivered from the sound of it, his whole body reacting to the pleasurable sound. He was so close to just getting up and going over to the boy, letting him have his way, but he quickly schooled his emotions and stayed rigidly in bed.

"I don't wish to kill you, Draco. In fact that is the furthest thing from my mind."

His voice sounded genuine, but Draco was sure it was just more vampire trickery. He turned his head, looking out the moonlit window on the adjacent wall and ignored the vampire. He had nothing else to say to the boy.

"I dream about you," he said softly, taking a step forward, a step closer to Draco.

Draco turned and looked at him. He really was stunningly beautiful, especially in the moonlight filtering into his room. He almost glowed with it, and Draco longed to hold him, to pull him close. He shook his head roughly to clear the thoughts away. "I thought vampire's didn't sleep."

"We don't, not in the same sense that you do, but before I changed, I had dreams about you. I hadn't even met you, but still you occupied my thoughts," he whispered, taking another slow step forward.

Draco assumed the pace was for his benefit, because he had seen how quickly the vampire moved earlier when he threw a letter opener at his father. The boy had been on the other side of room, but still managed to catch the sharp object before it grazed his father's arm.

Draco had been so furious with his father, first for taking an innocent boy and making him into this—this creature, then for endangering him and his mother by binding it to the family. He was so angry he had grabbed the nearest object and hurled it at his father, but the vampire had saved him.

"You probably just saw my picture around the house and it worked itself into your dream," Draco explained. There was no way he was linked to this creature.

A look of confusion passed momentarily across the vampires beautiful face but faded an instant later. "I'm almost certain that's not true, but even so, how else can you explain this uncanny attraction?"

Draco scoffed. "Who says I'm attracted to you? And even if I were – which I'm not – then it would simply be because of your vampire mind tricks," Draco replied. He let his voice show the disgust he had at the thought of being bound to him in any way.

The vampire's face fell an Draco suddenly felt the need to take it all back, to confess his undying love for the man, but that was crazy and nonsensical and Draco would _not_ give into it.

"I believe we are to be together," he whispered, though he seemed less than sure.

"Then clearly you're delusional," Draco replied haughtily.

The vampire hissed and Draco closed his eyes, ready for the attack, but it never came. Instead, when he slowly opened his eyes, he found the vampire on the other side of the room, pressing his back into the wall as if he could melt into it.

"Do you find me hideous?" it asked him, quietly, almost broken.

Draco blinked several times. From this distance he could see the traces of what the vampire had once been, a small, timid and scared boy, a boy his own age, and a wizard who never had a real family. He wanted to go to him, lift him into his own bed and rock him gently to sleep.

But that thing wouldn't sleep, and it wouldn't be warm and soft beside him. It would be cold and hard like an ice sculpture, and it could kill him. It could murder him and his whole family before Draco even had time to scream.

"Clearly," he spat at last, his eyes closed so as not to see the pain in the boy's face.

When he did open his eyes again, the boy was gone, and Draco wouldn't be sleeping that night, either.

Authors Note: Please send reviews and magical baked goods


	6. Chapter 6 Truths

Authors Note: I've been really struggling with this story and ended up scraping 3 whole chapters and rewriting them, and I like it better now. I'm just not sure where to go from here. Thanks to Alexandra for her extra beta of this particular story

Chapter 6 Truths

Harry could hear the voices shouting in the study as if it were right in front of him.

Lucius's study of course was on the other side of the large manor, and only his overly sensitive hearing could allow him such a feat.

"What did you say to him?" Lucius demanded.

"Why does it matter? He snuck into my room in the middle of the night, doesn't this bother you?" Draco asked. His voice was panicked and withdrawn. Harry knew from both his previous experience and his talks with Narcissa that no one challenged Lucius, least of all his own son.

A violent thud sounded, and Harry imagined Lucius fist pounding into his massive mahogany desk. "Of course it does not bother me, son. Harry is our family. He would never hurt you. He's not even capable of it," Lucius added, his voice softer, placating.

"Not capable of it? Do you think I missed the body the house elves got rid of yesterday? He killed that innocent woman, and who knows what he would do to mother and I," Draco spat.

Harry cringed at his words. Draco disapproved of his feeding methods. The idea had never occurred to Harry to do things differently. Would Draco like him more if he starved himself, or stopped before he killed his victims? He didn't know what he could do to appease the boy, but he would do anything.

He could clearly hear the hissed intake of breath from Lucius at Draco's words as well. His father was obviously trying to hide the muggle corpses from his son. "He has to feed on someone, Draco. Stop being so naïve," his father sneered.

"He wouldn't need to if you hadn't changed the poor boy over in the first place. You made him a monster!" Draco shouted.

Harry felt a twinge of longing for his human form, something that might have been more appealing to Draco. He couldn't understand the pull he had toward the boy, but it was so strong that Harry felt no hope that he could fight it. Draco's harsh words from the night before left a gaping hole in Harry's already broken heart.

"He's not a monster, he's your brother. You had best begin acting accordingly." Lucius's voice faltered and Harry didn't need to delve into the man's thoughts to know why. His plans had backfired. He hoped to make Harry into a puppet, a powerful otherworldly creature that _he_ could control as a pawn.

Harry turned out to be more powerful and more self-assured than he had estimates possible. Perhaps something from the Malfoy blood not only endeared him to them and vice versa, but also transferred some of their inherent personality traits, making Harry essentially, the wizard Lucius had always wished to be himself.

Powerful, cunning and cruel.

He had no care for what Lucius wanted however. He only cared about the younger Malfoy, and what he wanted.

A voice muttered, still loud enough for Harry to hear even from his quarters, but low enough that Lucius would have needed to strain to make out the words. "I don't feel very brotherly toward him," Draco whispered, obviously for only his own ears.

It wasn't the words Harry perked up at, they could have been just as easily a condemnation, no, not the words, but the inflection and the tone. Harry found himself perched on his bed frame like a sentient gargoyle, listening closer for the sounds he heard, wanting more of it.

Draco's voice was thick with a longing Harry had never felt from the boy. No snippet of words or emotion had made themselves present to him as of yet, but just then, with those simple ambiguous words, he could hear a mirror of his own lust, and his own desire, pulling at Draco's heart the same as it did on his own.

--

That evening Severus called on Harry. He had yet to see the transformation and seemed curious about Harry's new form.

Harry could hear him make his way up the stairs, and heard him take a deep breath before knocking sharply on his door. He could tell the man was nervous, having been a victim to Harry's pull prior to the change. His heart was pounding in anticipation of what he would see when Harry opened the door.

Chuckling to himself, he went to Severus and smiled as the door swung open. Harry was happy that his mind reading abilities extended to Snape, though not to the same degree as with Lucius. But it made him curious as to why he couldn't read the thoughts of Draco and his mother.

Severus's eyes went wide upon seeing Harry and he fell into a low bow. "My Lord."

Rolling his eyes Harry reached over and pulled Snape upright. "Not you too, professor," he groaned. "I really can't take the subservient attitude."

"But Lucius said," Snape began, but Harry cut him off with a laugh.

"I let Father do it because it's the least he deserves for this mess he's made," he said with a small wicked smile.

Severus smiled wider and nodded. "Yes, he does deserve a bit of punishment, does he not?"

With a nod, Harry gestured his Professor to come into his quarters. They sat in a small sitting area and Dobby brought them tea. "Are you staying for dinner?" Harry asked.

"If you wish," Severus answered with an unexplained look.

Harry wished to know what was behind the man's stare, so he delved into his mind, plucking out fragments of information as he went. He was thoroughly enamored with Harry in his vampire form, and was thinking things about him that would have made a human blush, but alas, Harry had not eaten recently, so he could not pull off such a feat.

He did relish in the sexual attention though. It was a heady thing to know that one could take possession of a full-grown man and even kill them without a single complaint. He declined to act on it, of course; his affections were for Draco alone.

However, a little flirting could go a long way toward making Snape a useful ally in the future, since he had already proven so useful in the past.

He leaned closer to the man and nearly laughed at the reaction in Severus's thoughts. He was close to bursting with anticipation, hoping for even a single kiss from Harry. "Do you think you could help me brew something that would make Lucius uncomfortable? Nothing too unseemly, of course."

Snape nodded blankly, a crooked smile forming on his face. Harry sighed and leaned back in his chair. It was disappointing how easy it was to get what he wanted, no challenge whatsoever. Draco was the only one who posed any challenge, and it was he Harry wanted more than anything. It was infuriating.

"Would you like him to have boils perhaps, or possibly loss of limb?" Snape asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, no. Nothing that extreme, he is my father now after all, and I wouldn't want to upset Mother too terribly."

"I could arrange a temporary banishment to a muggle town, or perhaps take his powers away for a bit?" he suggested.

"That could be promising, he is quite fond of being a wizard. Living like a muggle for a time could humble him greatly," Harry mused. "Yes, let's work on that one. Let me know when you have something prepared."

Severus smiled. "The items needed for a magic inhibitor are all here in the storeroom. I could whip something up before dinner."

"Brilliant," Harry whispered with a smug grin. He pulled Snape to his feet and led him to the potions laboratory.

--

As promised, Severus had the magic inhibitor ready and pressed the vial of blue potion into Harry's palm, letting his fingers linger just a little longer than necessary.

Harry summoned Dobby and gave him the vial. "This is a wellness potion I have created for Father. Put it in his drink tonight, but do not call his attention to it, do you understand?

"But master, I couldn't do anything that could hurt Master Malfoy," Dobby shrieked.

"It won't harm him, Dobby. Mother says he rarely takes healing potions as he should and he's been developing a cough. It will be easier just to sneak it to him," Harry said casually.

Dobby still didn't look like he was going to comply, so he gave the elf the full weight of his gaze. "Will you do this small thing for me Dobby?" he asked smoothly.

The elf nodded as if in a trance and Harry smiled and dismissed him.

It was almost time for dinner to begin, so Harry took Snape's hand, suppressing a laugh at the man's dirty thoughts, and led him to the dining hall. Draco was already there and his eyes narrowed when he saw Harry enter. They did not remain angry however, for when his eyes flicked down to Severus's hand clasped firmly within Harry's his gaze changed altogether.

Harry wondered at the change and not for the first time cursed the fact that he could not read the boy's mind.

They took their seats, sitting side by side next to Draco. He cringed away at first, but after a moment he relaxed and focused on Snape. "Professor, what brings you to the manor this evening?"

Snape smiled pleasantly. "I'm here to see your brother, and he invited me to stay for dinner."

Draco laughed. "Really? Are you sure he meant dinner here at the table and not dinner as him drinking your blood and murdering you?"

Harry's eyes went wide at the accusation. He was perfectly capable of controlling himself around the family and their guests.

"Why you petulant little whelp," Snape growled. "How can you say such things about your own family?"

Draco rolled his eyes. "Well, it's a fair assumption, since he doesn't actually eat dinner. Beside, he's no family of mine," he added with a haughty wave.

Harry looked between his professor and his beloved and was shocked to see the animosity so clear on both faces. "How dare you speak of Harry this way? He's perfection personified, and a fair bit more civilized than you," Snape spat.

"More civilized? Do you call murdering poor innocent muggle girls civilized? You're an ignorant old fool, and I'll be counting down the days until my dear brother rips out your throat!" he shouted.

Harry winced at Draco's words and sat back further in his chair, trying to blend into the expensive brocade fabric.

"He's a vampire you nit wit, not an uncontrollable monster," Snape scoffed. "He's perfectly capable of controlling himself around guests and family.

Harry blanched at the words Snape spoke, and realized that he must have put them in his mind. They were the exact words he had been thinking earlier.

"Don't you think you're a bit old to be pining over a seventeen year old, professor? Why I bet if the Headmaster knew of your predilection to children he would be appalled," Draco spat.

Snape's eyes went wide and he stood, pointing a sallow finger in Draco's face. "Your father will hear of your insults, and don't think for a moment you won't be punished, you jealous little brat."

Draco sputtered and blinked rapidly. "Jealous? Jealous of what? That you'll get your throat ripped out while mine will remain perfect and pristine?" he scoffed.

"No, you're jealous that soon, I will take him into my bed, and you wish for him to be with you instead."

Harry looked at Snape incredulously, not believing he just said such a thing, but realized instantly that he hadn't, at least not out loud. "You'll see. Soon you'll be all too aware of the jealousy I speak of," Snape said instead and pushed away from the table, stalking quickly from the room. "Please give my regrets to your father, Harry," he called back softly. "I will see you again soon, I hope." He bit his lip to keep from saying more and left, disappearing into the adjoining room.

Draco threw the napkin he had spread across his lap onto his plate and got up as well. "Well, I hope you're happy now, ruining dinner," he spat, not looking in Harry's direction. "Tell father I'll take dinner in my room tonight."

He too turned and stalked from the room, using a different set of doors than Snape had.

Authors Note: Please let me know what you guys think on this one, and if anyone has any suggestions as to where this should move, please let me know. lol


	7. Chapter 7 Inner Turmoil

Authors Note: As you may have already seen (If you read any of my other stories), I'll be on vacation for a few days later this week extending into early next week, so I won't be able to update on those days. But don't pout just yet. Because of that, I'll be posting an extra chapter of each story before Thursday so that none of the stories get behind while I'm away. I'll have all the stories caught up to chapter 8 before I leave. yay! Thanks to my beta Alexandra as who is lovely as always.

**Chapter 7 Inner Turmoil**

The door to Harry's bedroom flung open with a crash, but he didn't flinch or even bother to look up. He had heard Draco's storming footfalls several moments before.

"Draco," he said, not putting away his novel or even deigning to look up at the fuming boy. He could tell he was angry because his breath was coming in heavy gasps and his heart was racing.

His voice quivered like a leaf with his anger. "I've just been to see Father."

"And how is our dear father?" Harry asked, knowing full well his condition.

"Did you do it?" he asked.

"Do what?" Harry answered, sill not looking up from his book and instead flipping a page as if he weren't paying any attention to Draco at all.

Harry was still angry over the stunt he had pulled the previous evening at dinner, and on top of the scene he caused, having the audacity to blame Harry for it all going wrong. He may be in love with the boy, but he wasn't going to let him traipse all over him.

"You know what!" he said, his voice raising just slightly, and shaking just a bit less.

"Do I?" Harry asked. He could smell a tinge of blood in the air and when he finally did look up noticed the boy was digging fingernails into his palm. "And what awful thing have you imagined that I've done now?" he asked calmly.

"Father's magic is gone," Draco spat.

Harry smiled sweetly. "Oh that?"

Draco stared at him incredulously. "Yes, that! How did you do it? I demand you reverse it this instant!"

"It's only temporary," he said with a casual wave of his hand, mimicking the one Draco had used at dinner the night before. "Beside, I won't be reversing it. Father needs to learn not to tamper with people's lives just because he can."

Draco's face turned to confusion. "You did it to teach him a lesson?"

Harry narrowed his eyes. "I would think you of all people would be aware of what he did to me."

Draco nodded, slightly meeker than before. "You're certain it's only temporary?"

Harry nodded. "It will dispel after a couple weeks."

"And it won't hurt him? I'll not have you inflict some malicious injury on my father just because of what he did to you," Draco said, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance.

"I would never do anything to hurt _our_ father," he answered, putting extra emphasis on the word 'our.'

He seemed to contemplate Harry for several moments and then finally nodded. "Well, then I think it's brilliant and he deserves it," he said finally shooting him a wicked grin.

Harry let his amusement show and smiled back at Draco. A second later and the boy's eyes shifted a bit, watching Harry's mouth with great interest, then he gasped lightly and fled the room.

Harry frowned and listened to his footsteps hasten down the corridor, wondering what in Merlin's name had spooked him so badly.

--

Draco slammed the door to his own room and leaned heavily against it, still trying to catch his breath and quiet his traitorous thoughts.

He had originally gone in to tell the vampire off for what he had done to his father, to make demands and yell his disgust at him. In the end he found himself agreeing with the bloodsucker.

If it really were only temporary it was the least his father deserved for what he had done to that boy and his own family. He hadn't intended on siding with the monster, though.

And he had seemed so different.

The first time he met him, the bloodsucker practically fawned all over him, drool and all. Draco despised it and wanted nothing more than the thing to be out of his home and out of his sight.

Then the incident in Draco's bedroom had left him feeling both oddly aroused and deeply disturbed all at once. He'd felt an attraction to him that he couldn't explain, but that didn't mean he had to act on it.

The previous night at dinner, he was angry for no reason and not at the vampire but at his old potions professor. He had been touching the vampire, rubbing his thumb against the back of his hand possessively, like a lover would.

At first he thought that his anger toward the man was based on Snape's ignorance, but at the mention of jealousy, he realized at once that it was true. Part of him, however deep and dark and tucked carefully away, wanted the vampire, wanted to be with him in every possible way. The thought of Snape taking his place, conversing with him, holding him, comforting him, kissing him…

He shuddered at his other thoughts, thoughts that had recently turned into dreams… erotic dreams. It was part of what fueled his loathing toward the vampire. He was of age, and had graduated from a prestigious wizarding school. Draco should be settling on an important career, courting women and starting a family.

Instead he was having dirty dreams about the vampire.

All of that was compacted and put away that afternoon, though, when he saw him again. He had seemed so oblivious of Draco's existence. He looked as though he could care less that Draco was in his quarters.

Then he'd smiled at him, and Draco's world had shattered. All of his hopes and dreams suddenly hung in balance and were hinging on that smile, on those lips, on Harry's favor.

It was the 'Harry' that had finally broken his fragile mind. Thinking of him in any other manner suddenly seemed impossible, and he willed himself to stop, to go back to vampire, monster, bloodsucker, anything else.

He was a person now, a flesh and blood person here in his home and in his life, and Draco wanted him.

He felt lucky that the logical part of his mind had finally kicked in and sent Draco running. Who knows what he would have done if Harry had realized he could have had his way with him?

--

Harry fell into an easy routine over the next few weeks. He would take tea in his room every morning; liquids being the only thing his body would keep down, he would then read until lunch. The house elves would make sure the house was properly shuttered for Harry to leave his quarters and join Narcissa and Lucius for lunch.

In the evening he would usually do research about vampires and their culture and origins, and just after sundown he would take a stroll through the gardens. He missed his daytime walks with Narcissa most of all from his human life. It was always so warm and cheerful to walk through the flowers with his mother.

Draco rarely left his room while Harry roamed the manor, and was careful to avoid him when he did. It made Harry's heart ache to know the person he was most attracted to in the whole world hated him so purely.

He only saw Draco against his will, waiting until he could hear the boy fall to sleep and then skulking into his room. It felt wrong to watch him this way, so angelic and vulnerable, but he felt he had little choice.

To be separated from him was physically painful, and he could not handle it. His nightly voyeurism gave him at least a slight reprieve.

He wished he could lay with him, instead of perching on the edge of his bed. He wished he could run his pale fingers through Draco's delicate blonde hair and he wished he could kiss his soft pink lips.

Normally he slept peacefully, lying with his arm curled gently under his pillow and facing the empty place beside him. Harry would imagine himself occupying that empty space and feeling Draco's breath ghost across his skin.

Sometimes he would wrestle fitfully with nightmares and toss in his sleep. Harry wanted to reach out and comfort him, and sometimes if they went on to long, he would go to Draco's side and sing softly to him, and the boy would relax and fall back into a gentle sleep.

The times Harry found the most difficult were when Draco would cry out and moan with pleasure in his sleep, obviously deep within the throws of passion with some unknown paramour. It was nearly impossible to resist touching him during those moments, as the boy writhed on the bed and exposed pale naked flesh to Harry's hungry eyes.

The noises he made were so sensual and seductive that Harry yearned for them to be made for him. He wanted so badly the be the object of such wanton desire, and jealousy would bubble up within him for the person Draco had chosen.

He would leave those nights, utterly dejected and fully aroused, and silently cry to himself. He wanted to make Draco see him, really see him, but he knew it was a useless endeavor.

--

Authors Note: I hope to see lots of reviews when I get back!!


	8. Chapter 8 Bonding

Authors Note: Many thanks to my lovely beta Alexandra. So I'm leaving for Philly today, and probably won't get a chance to post again until middle of next week. I hope you are all enjoying the stories and the cliffhangers wink. I hope I have lots of reviews when I get back!! I'm also working on another story (I know, I know) called Rivaling Affections, which is of course another Harry/Draco. I will most likely start posting it when I get back, so look for it mid-next week.

Chapter 8 Bonding

Harry found tea with his mother to be more awkward than ever before. It hadn't started that way, but at her prompting, Harry told her how he felt about the current household situation.

"I'm in love with your son," he had blurted, to which Narcissa had yet to answer.

They had sat in uncomfortable silence from that point on and by Harry's estimation it had been nearly a half hour.

Finally she started to speak, and Harry took in an unnecessary breath and held it bracing himself for her damning words.

"Isn't he your brother?" she asked calmly.

Harry let out the breath he had been holding, as it appeared she was not going to yell, and breathing was a fairly useless practice for him. He shook his head lightly. "I thought it would be that way, the same as it is with you and Lucius. In every possible way you are my parents. I thought it would be the same with Draco. I thought he would feel like a brother, but it's not the same."

He wished he could read Narcissa's thoughts the way he could his father's. It would make this conversation easier. As it was, his mother's facial features were carefully schooled into a blank mask, giving Harry nothing to work with.

"I felt a pull to him the moment I saw him. In my human form I dreamt of him, they were… erotic dreams," he added, and if he could blush he would have in that moment. I didn't know who it was I was dreaming about until I met Draco, until I felt his energy call to my own."

"You think my son is your mate?" she asked. Her voice was pleasant, but Harry's otherworldly hearing picked up on fear and anger delicately intertwined into the sound.

Harry let his face show his confusion at her words. "I'm not sure I follow, mother. I feel that Draco and I are meant to be together, but I can hear in your voice that the word mate means more to you than that."

She nodded demurely. "You are right. It means much more." She sighed heavily and leaned forward, closer to Harry. "A vampire is like no other creature in the magical world, but they do carry similarities to others," she began. He voice was soft and sweet and held no more tinges of malice or fear as she explained the things that Harry did not know.

"They are most closely related to we humans than any other creature. Their appearance, their instincts, their thinking and emotions are all very similar to our own. Their culture however, where love and marriage is concerned, is more closely related to that of Veela. Do you know much about them, Harry?" she asked.

Harry nodded. "I know a little. They are supposed to have an allure to humans," he said.

"You have that as well," his mother said, smiling subtly. "I think we are immune to it, for the most part, but even I can look upon you and see that you are more beautiful than an average human."

Again Harry was happy for his inability to blush. "I'm afraid I don't know much else about them, other than the way they appear to humans."

Narcissa stood and walked over to Harry's seat and knelt in front of him. "Harry, when a Veela comes into their powers they are pulled inexplicably toward the one person in all the world that they are meant to be with. They must be together or else the Veela will die, and when they find their mate, they are bound together for their entire lives."

She shook her head lightly. "It's a very serious thing, and such a strong bond, that even wizarding law protects the Veela and it's mate. As a vampire, you have a similar call in your blood. Somewhere out there is the one and only person you are meant to be with, and your body, mind and blood will do anything to find that person, your mate."

"And if I don't? Or…" Harry hesitated to ask the question, fearing the answer. He knew he had his mate under this same roof, but what did it matter if Draco hated him.

"Or if that person refuses the bond?" she finished for him, knowing his worries like she knew her own. Harry only nodded. "Then, like the Veela, you will die. No one is sure how long it will take, but slowly it will drive you mad no to be with your mate and then your body will waste away," she said, her voice heavy with sorrow and pain.

Harry nodded resolutely. "Do I have your permission to convince him," he asked at last, letting it all sink in.

A single tear broke the surface of her glistening blue eyes and fell down her cheek. "I'm afraid I cannot give you that permission my son," she sobbed.

Harry's face fell. He thought his mother wouldn't see him as a monster. He hoped she would be at the least tolerable of the bond, since they were all family and he thought she loved him. He nodded and stood, preparing to leave her and go back to his own quarters to think. He could leave and go out into the world. Maybe he was wrong, maybe there was a mate out there for him aside from Draco. Maybe what he felt for the younger Malfoy was only the effects from the blood after all.

"I will the leave the manor then. I would not wish for my family to witness my deterioration, or to fall victim to my inevitable madness," he told her levelly.

He had only take a step away when his mother's cool hand curled around his leg. "I do not wish harm on you, my son. I love you just as surely as I love Draco. I meant only that it is not my permission to give. Only Draco can make the choice, for it is a matter of life or death to him as well."

Harry blinked and looked down at his mother's tear strained face. "What do you mean?"

"The binding of mates requires a full merger of mind, soul and body. He must give himself to you completely and you to him," she said vaguely.

"And how would that mean his death?" Harry asked, feeling as though he were missing a vital piece of the puzzle.

"As a vampire you are stronger than ten humans, Harry. With your magic and your other abilities you are indestructible. Draco's not. His flesh will tear, his bones will break and his heart will fail if you try to complete the bond with him in his human form, and when he dies you will follow just as surely," she cried.

Harry collapsed into his chair and remained still, the kind of still that only the waking dead could achieve. Narcissa's words flowed over him like a river of molten lava, burning into every fiber of his being, sending every nerve ending on alert.

"So… in order to bond with him, I would have to change him," he whispered. "I would have to make him into a monster like me?"

Narcissa nodded weakly and squeezed Harry's leg even tighter. "You are not a monster, but yes, that is what he would be agreeing to," she replied, cupping Harry's face in her delicate hand. "Can you see why I cannot give you permission? It is not mine to give."

Harry's mind reeled and he felt like he might be sick, if that were even a possibility. "I won't do it," he said at last. "Draco hates what I am, even if I were to convince him to love me I couldn't make him into something he despises so thoroughly," he said, his voice thick with conviction.

A whimpering sob escaped his mother's lips and Harry closed his eyes so as not to see the pain in hers.

--

Authors Note: Please Review! I hope to come home to a full inbox!!


	9. Chapter 9 Bitten

Authors Note: I'm back!! Okay, so here is the chapter after that terrible cliffhanger I left you all with. Many thanks as always to my favorite beta Alexandra. Also, if you have not already seen, I posted the first chapter of my newest story titled Rivaling Affections, please check it out and let me know what you think of it.

Chapter 9 Bitten

Harry spent the next few weeks isolated in his room. He refused Lucius and the house elves entry and only allowed Narcissa in when she persisted.

His nights were spent roaming the manor and watching Draco. He would creep into his room every night and just stare at his beauty. It made him feel better just to be near him.

Occasionally he would talk in his sleep, and Harry would relish in hearing the boys internal thoughts.

Several weeks passed that way, until one night, Draco began talking in his sleep again, but this time it was to call out to Harry. He cried his name and his voice was laced with panic and need. He was used to being referred to as 'the vampire' or 'the bloodsucker' and was heartened to hear Draco use his given name, but the sound of the boys voice gave him pause.

He continued to watch him all night, only retreating when he could feel the first twinges of daylight coming in through the windows. He had to get back to his own room then, where the shutters were secured over his windows and no light ever shown through.

--

"How are you," Narcissa asked, calmly and patiently.

"I'm well, mother," Harry responded, though he knew he could do nothing to fool her.

"Are you feeding?" she asked, looking down at her tea instead of into Harry's intense eyes. If she looked there, she would know the answer. His eyes had turned a dull gray, not the shining mercury of his love, but a lifeless gray of death.

"You know that I have no, mother," he answered.

She looked up then, and met his dull gray eyes. "Harry, you'll be doing no one any good if you starve yourself."

"I'll be doing worlds of good if I can manage that, but I don't even think it's possible. It's been three weeks, and I just feel… well I feel gray," he said, laughing slightly.

"What does that mean?" she asked in a panic.

"It's hard to explain. I don't get tired, so fatigued is not the correct word, and I can't get sick, at least not in the traditional human sense. It's just… gray. I'm starting to feel as lifeless as I really am," he tried to explain.

"Harry, that sounds awful. Please, would you just feed a little," she asked.

Harry laughed. "Would it be better if I only ate half a muggle virgin? No, he doesn't like it when I feed, so I won't."

"If he knew what this was doing to you he would want you to feed too," she said.

Harry narrowed his eyes. "I doubt that. We can go ask him if you like?"

His mother shook her head and sighed. "No, you're right, he would never actually say it, but I'm sure he would think it."

"Unfortunately I can't read his mind, only father's," he said. "He called out to me last night," he added.

"Lucius?" Narcissa asked, confused.

"No," Harry laughed, "Draco. I was watching him… I often do at night, and he called out to me like he was hurt or in trouble."

"He never mentioned anything to me this morning at breakfast. Perhaps it was just a troubling dream," she said.

"I'm certain that it was, but what worries me is the type of dream. I did some research on vampire mates, after speaking with you, and I found them to be fascinating. Did you know there are only two known cases of a mate being a human and not another vampire?" Harry asked.

She shook her head and he continued. "The other known cases reported that leading up to their transformation, the mates had prophetic dreams. Both humans were changed later, and their visions slowed and eventually stopped, but during their human form, it was a nightly occurrence."

"And you think Draco might be having visions, not just dreams?" Narcissa asked, concern tingeing her voice.

Harry shrugged. It's hard to say for sure, but that's what I read. If he really is marked as my mate, his dreams may have more weight… I really didn't mean for that to rhyme, this vampire thing is getting a bit out of hand," Harry grumbled.

Narcissa laughed her tinkling musical laugh. "Vampires are supposed to be smooth talkers," she said.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Right. I feel about as smooth as sandpaper with the only person I wish would love me," he muttered.

"He'll come around, dear," she said, though her voice held no hope for such things.

"It would be better if he didn't. It would make it easier for him if he still hated me when I finally die," he said sadly.

Narcissa hissed at him. "What have I told you about that?"

"Sorry, mother," Harry apologized. Narcissa didn't like for him to talk about his impending death, or to even hint at it.

He hadn't given up hope completely. He was devising a plan to meet other vampires; he hoped one of them could teach him to live without his mate.

"I'm leaving tonight," Harry blurted. He had no need to sugar coat things with his mother, but her gasp made him reconsider the sudden information. "I've found a coven in Ireland, and I'm going to seek them out. I hope they might be able to help me."

"Help you to die?" she asked, her voice a tiny whisper.

"If that is what is needed. I hope though, that they can help me find a way to live without my mate," he amended.

Narcissa relaxed and her eyes took on a hopeful sparkle. "They might be able to do that. When will you return?"

"I don't intend to," Harry said quietly.

"I see," she said, carefully setting down her teacup. "So you are abandoning your family?" she asked.

Harry sighed and leaned forward, grabbing her hands. "I love you, mother, and in my own way I love Lucius as well, and… well I'm quite certain you're aware of my fondness for Draco. I would rather come back, but I refuse to put my family in danger for the sake of my own selfishness."

A single tear fell down her pal cheek and she nodded. "I love you too, Harry. I would do anything to keep you here," she added.

"I know, but it's done," he said.

"Here, I had begun to think you had changed your mind. It had been so long since you last said you would leave," she sniffed.

"I had many details to work out, but it was a decision I had every intention of following through on," he said. "I just need you to know that there was nothing more you could do, for your own piece of mind, trust me in that, okay?"

She nodded and with a graceful curtsy, fled the room. His mother was never one for dramatics, and she had apologized several times over for her emotional outburst that one afternoon.

Harry sighed and pondered his plan for the umpteenth time, with thoughts and worries for Draco interspacing with them. He hoped his love wasn't having prophetic dreams, because if so, they sounded harmful.

--

Harry was making a bag for himself, throwing clothing and various toiletries, most of which he had no use for, inside. He halted his activity when he heard footsteps approach his room.

He waited patiently for Lucius to enter.

The man's face looked worn and anxious, but at the same time relieved. Harry suspected it cost the man little to know his newly created son was going off to die, and from looking in his thoughts, Harry relived the telling conversation he had just had with his wife.

Lucius bowed upon entering his room and Harry sighed in annoyance. It was quite unnecessary for this display of submission, especially in his private quarters. "Really father, it's a nice gesture but really quite useless. I know my place in all of this and so do you."

"Are you really leaving, my son," he asked.

Harry was startled by Lucius calling him son when usually he referred to him as lord, it made him pause and listen to his thoughts again. He shook his head rapidly. "I will not have you attempting to persuade Draco in this. I have made up my mind, and I will not yield. Your son made clear his thoughts on my being here and about what I am, and I refuse to force his hand," Harry said, a bit perturbed at Lucius's thoughts.

"I would give Draco to you in order to keep you here," he said softly.

"No, you seek to give him to me as leverage, but he is not yours to give, father," Harry said, turning back to his things.

"So you will not be swayed?" Lucius asked, sounding slightly eager.

Harry turned and gave Lucius the full weight of his green gaze. "No, Lucius. I will be gone at sundown and you shall not see your abomination again," he added, plucking a word Lucius only used in the confines of his once private mind.

"What?" questioned a sharp voice from further down the hall, why Harry had not heard Draco's approach baffled him. He could usually pinpoint the exact place in the manor where the boy was at any given time. He must have let Lucius distract him too fully.

"Lucius, leave us," Harry commanded softly.

His father bowed again and walked through the doorway just as Draco walked in. "You're leaving?" he asked with no further pretense.

Harry only nodded and turned away from him, back to his bag.

"What mother said is true then?" Draco asked, his voice wavering.

Harry sighed and sat on the edge of his largely unused bed. "I'm sure it is. Our mother would never lie to either of us," Harry replied tersely.

"So you're leaving because of me?" Draco asked, taking a step closer.

"No, I'm leaving because I would rather that fate then the one I would subject you to otherwise," Harry answered.

"But you'll die." It was a statement, and Harry could hear it in his voice that he knew it to be true. He could also hear the conflicted emotions bubbling up through his words.

"Would you prefer I make you into a monster like me?" Harry asked, though not really giving him the option. He had already made up his mind on the matter and would not be moved.

"No," Draco whispered faintly.

Harry nodded his head in final defeat. "This is my fate." He stepped forward with a quickness that still surprised him and closed the distance between them. Draco flinched but otherwise stood still.

Harry reached out a cold hand and brushed it lightly down Draco's cheek, from temple to chin, and sighed. Draco's skin was hot as flames against his own, and it sent shivers down his spine. He watched the boy close his eyes at Harry's touch, watched his thick blonde eyelashes flutter and his lips part with a soft sigh.

He feathered his fingers through Draco's perfect platinum hair and drew his mouth to his own. Draco didn't resist, and their lips pressed together gently. The kiss was soft, yet firm, and Harry's grasp in his hair tightened slightly as Draco's tongue lashed out and ran across Harry's bottom lip. He moaned a muffled sound against him and stepped away.

"I'm sorry," Harry whispered. "I didn't mean to take advantage."

Draco pressed his eyes closed and shook his head. "I feel it too, the song… the pull, whatever you want to call it. I don't want you to leave."

Harry stepped back, but Draco mirrored him and removed the distance Harry had put between them. "I must. If I stay, I'll go mad. I might hurt you or mother and I couldn't live with that."

He stepped away again, but again Draco followed him. "I feel like my heart is breaking," he sobbed, and Harry reached out. He couldn't help but comfort him. "I don't even know why this is happening, but when mother told me your plans… I don't want to lose you."

"You're confused. I'll leave and you'll heal and everything will go back to normal. You'll see," Harry whispered against Draco's cheek.

Draco moved and caught Harry's lips again in a crushing kiss. It was desperate and Harry nearly melted into him, until he tasted the sweet coppery blood in his mouth. He had cut Draco's lip with his fangs and he could taste him, hot and metallic on his tongue.

Without another thought he bit down harder on his love's lip and pulled the blood inside him, he could feel the life-force of it replenishing his own. He felt Draco grow lighter and less resistant in his arms and he jerked suddenly away, gasping for breath, his mind yelling obscenities at his body for it's recklessness.

Draco shook his head to clear it and his eyes widened when he looked into Harry's. He held a finger to his lip and winced as he came back with blood on his fingers. The fear in his eyes crippled Harry and he let him go, let him run from the room. He wouldn't stop him; he wouldn't keep him a prisoner, a slave and he wouldn't turn him into a monster.

There was nothing left for him there. He was a vampire trying to play human, and it was going to get someone he loved killed.

Harry grabbed his bag and in a blur he was gone, leaving the manor far behind him in his haste.

--

Authors Note: I know, another cliffie, but I think you have all come to expect that from me by now ;)


	10. Chapter 10 Shadow

Authors Note: Many thinks to my beta Alexandra.

Chapter 10 Shadow

Draco stared at his reflection in the mirror, completely disgusted with himself. He had given into his urges and could have died for it. The vampire could have drained him dry and he would have only been too happy to give his life away.

Stupid.

He fell for the legendary vampire tricks and put himself in harm's way. The bloodsucker could have killed him in seconds.

But he didn't.

Draco shook the thought away because it didn't matter that the monster hadn't killed him, only that he _could_, easily and apparently with no resistance From Draco himself.

The yearning Draco still felt confused him, and he didn't know what was real and what was trickery, so he just had to assume that it was all false. He hadn't known the _boy_ Harry, and even if he had, he was much different now. It was impossible that Draco could feel this kind of heartache over someone he barely knew and thoroughly despised.

Harry was leaving and Draco had gone to him, against his better judgment. He held a finger up to his swollen lip and winced. It still hurt and he guessed it would serve him as a reminder of why he should never again get so close to him.

His mind grew fuzzy when he thought of the kiss that gave him the wound. It had been sensual and passionate, and like nothing Draco could ever describe. He tried not to think about it, though, because it wouldn't happen again. He couldn't let it happen again.

Draco already felt bereft of his presence, however, as if the vampire were miles away instead of just on the other side of the manor.

--

Harry was leagues away by the time the sun began to rise, and had successfully snuck into the basement of a small cottage before the rays could harm him. Part of him just wanted to walk out there and let it fry him, but he knew from his research that it wouldn't have to mean death, only excruciating pain. Several vampires had lived through it only to be permanently marred and mentally broken from the horrible pain.

And he knew he had the ability to feel pain far more acutely now than he ever had as a human. All of his senses were heightened, and with them his emotions and the capacity to feel them.

He wanted to feel something other than the disgust and heartbreak that consumed him now. He had nearly killed his beloved; the sweet taste of his blood had been too much to handle in his starved state. He could still recall its intoxicating flavor.

The look of contempt on Draco's face, every bit of which Harry deserved, was far too painful to think about. One moment of weakness and his resolve had nearly left him completely. Now he was hollow and broken and felt the miles between he and Draco as if they were tripled. How any vampire survived without their mate was beyond him, and Harry was already giving up hope that there would even be a way to succeed at that mission. Every minute that passed Harry grew more and more resolved to his fate of a slow and withering death.

"I love you," he whispered to the air and thought for a moment that he heard the echo of a reply, but decided it must only be the beginnings of his mind breaking.

The house above him stirred to life, and Harry could hear the elderly couple that had made this place their home wake up and begin breakfast. He already missed Narcissa, trailing to the dining room in her dusty blue house robes, her luxurious hair pulled up in a loose twist.

He imagined Lucius's calm demeanor at the knowledge that his creation would not sit at the table that morning. He would be neither happy nor sad about Harry's departure, but merely relieved that he would no longer need to concern himself with Harry's fate.

Draco he guessed would be elated, to discover that the ominous vampire had finally left the manor. Would he be equally happy that it sentenced Harry to his death? Would he mourn him, even a little?

Harry held no hope that Draco would feel an ounce of regret. How could he when he had just attempted to murder him only hours ago?

Curling into a tight ball, Harry made himself as comfortable as possible in the dank little basement and listened to the couple as they progressed with their day, missing all the little things he would never get to do with his true love.

--

Harry hadn't come to breakfast, which Draco had expected but was still unprepared to see. His seat remained empty through the meal and his mother left in a hurry halfway through.

His father seemed at ease for the first time since Draco had come home from school, and this revelation worried him the most.

"Father?" Draco started, worried what answer he would get to his upcoming question.

"Yes, my son?" Lucius replied, giving him the full weight of his gaze, as well as permission to speak.

"Where is the vampire?" he asked, still unable to call him Harry.

Lucius gave him a subtle smile, just a small curve of the lips and looked back to his plate of brioche. "He's left us, Draco."

Draco's heart sank into his gut at the words he had been afraid to hear. A small part of him was rejoicing. He had finally gotten what he wanted from the moment he had met Harry, but the victory was crushed beneath his overpowering heartbreak.

Draco should have known that the moment he ran from the vampire's room, he would have continued with his plan to leave the Malfoy family behind. But he had held onto some flickering hope that he would be curious enough about their new development to stay at least another day. What's one more day to an immortal after all?

Pushing away from the table, Draco ran as fast as his human legs would carry him to Harry's room. The door was open and Draco's skin went cold as he walked into the room and found it empty. He knew it would be, but he hadn't anticipated it feeling so… void.

A small piece of parchment folded on the coffee table caught his attention. His name was scrawled on the outside in fancy looping handwriting and he opened it to find a short, neatly written note.

_I'm more sorry than I could ever explain in words. I will love you forever and you will never need to hurt because of me again. I wish you all the love and happiness that the world can give you._

_Yours Always,_

_Harry_

Draco read the short note a thousand times over before collapsing on the floor in a fit of sobs. His vampire, his soul mate, his Harry was gone. How was he supposed to find him now? How could someone as mundane as Draco find a vampire that was probably several countries away by this point?

There was a stirring behind him, and Draco looked up with a hopeful start, certain that Harry had come back for him. He couldn't live without him, after all. The same, Draco realized with a start, was true about himself, as well.

He couldn't survive without that boy, without his Harry.

On the Harry's bed, in dusty blue silk robes, laid his mother's prone form. She was lying on top of the bedding and pulling one of Harry's pillows to her, gently stroking it and shaking with silent tears.

Draco went to her and ran a pale hand through her hair, combing it away from her face. "Mother?" he whispered.

"It all still smells of him, Draco. My son, my precious Harry is gone," she sobbed.

Draco climbed onto the bed with her, spooning up behind his mother, holding her gently. "I know," he said softly, his voice breaking. He let the tears fall, mingling with his mother's as they mourned the loss of their Harry.

--

As night fell outside Harry's hiding place, he made his way carefully and quietly to the lane outside the home and began his journey.

Just north of the village was a mountain range, and in those mountains lived a Kiss of vampires known as the Shadow. The Shadow stayed out of the lives of humans, not interacting with them, or feeding on them.

No one knew how the community survived without the drinking of human blood, but Harry was determined to find out. He would not shed another drop of it so long as he lived. He could do at least that much for his beloved.

He was also hoping, since the Kiss was so large, that someone there might know of a way to free him of his torment, and might be able to save him from his unfulfilled bond with Draco.

He made his way quickly to the mountain range he had read about, it only taking his nimble vampire legs an hour to cross the distance. He climbed a tree to survey the area but his keen sight picked up nothing.

It was then that the wind shifted and he smelled it, the fragrance of copper and jasmine.

Vampire blood.

Harry followed the scent to a large outcropping of trees growing against the mountainside. The boughs of the trees formed a green archway and a long corridor. Harry took one last look behind him at the world he was leaving behind and stepped through the arch.

The corridor was dark, but his vision allowed him to clearly see the etched words in the trunks around him. The text seemed to shift and glow as he looked at it, the ancient language making itself readable to him.

_Those of our blood are welcome. Make your offering at the mighty gate._

Harry couldn't fathom what his offering should be, but he proceeded along the path, keeping watch for anyone like him.

When he reached what he only supposed was the mighty gate, he felt nervous. The gate was in fact a door; a large slab of the mountain stone had been cut away, and in its place a sparkling granite door, maybe four meters high, appeared. On its surface was another series of etchings, repeating the words on the trees. In the center of the text a detailed fleur de lis glittered in the moonlight.

Harry pondered outside the door for several minutes on what his offering should be. He hadn't brought much with him, only some clothes and mundane items. He thought of his wand, and pulled it from his robes.

It didn't feel right though, didn't feel like the appropriate offering, so he put it away. He read over the two lines again and again and it finally hit him. When it did he felt like an imbecile for having ever missed it.

He pressed one of his sharp nails to his palm and sliced into the flesh there. It tore easily enough, but before it started to close, he pressed his palm against the fleur de lis on the door.

A giant crack erupted and the trees behind him shook with it. Harry watched cautiously as the door slowly opened, revealing a torch lit corridor behind it. He took a tentative step forward and made his way into the mountain toward the Kiss of The Shadow.

His new home.

Authors Note: A new twist, please review


	11. Chapter 11 Death's Doorstep

Authors Note: Many thanks to my wonderful beta Alexandra! For anyone who hasn't already noticed, I have started a new fic called Alluring Lullaby, please check it out and tell me what you think!

Chapter 11 Death's Doorstep

It was dark in Draco's room. He had kept it that way since Harry had left him, secretly hoping the vampire would visit him again.

But he never did.

Draco could felt the ache of his sudden departure like the pain of a limb being removed. Harry was only a ghost now, cut off from Draco in the worst way.

Regret.

It seemed to be the word of the day ever since Draco had discovered Harry was gone. It affected the whole family. His father was surly, still unable to use his magic, and his mother was inconsolable without her second son. Draco spent as much time as he could with her, but it never seemed to be enough.

A quiet knock on his bedroom door made Draco perk up in anticipation, though he knew for a fact that it wouldn't be Harry. He could have felt Harry's presence, even through the door, like he could feel his own heartbeat.

Draco hadn't quite made it to the door before it swung open, revealing Severus towering over him. "You drove him away you little brat," he seethed.

The argument Draco would have normally come up with escaped him and he sagged to the floor in a sobbing heap. "I know," he whispered.

This answer seemed to catch Severus off guard and he paced the boy's room, shooting an occasional glare in Draco's direction. "Does this upset you?" he finally asked, even though the answer should have been obvious.

"Yes," Draco groaned. "I love him."

Snape rolled his eyes. "As if someone as beautiful and graceful as Harry could fall for a sniveling teenager," he scoffed. "Nevertheless, we might be able to bring him back."

Draco looked up skeptically. "I have no idea where he went, or how I could go about finding someone who can travel ten times faster than me."

Snape ignored him and continued to pace. "His superior nature does give him an advantage over us," he mused out loud, and then stopped short. "Have you checked his room for clues to where he went?"

Draco practically smacked himself in the forehead. "No, I hadn't thought-"

"Typical," Snape muttered, cutting him off.

Draco only glared up at him while Snape tapped his foot irritably. "Well, what are you waiting for?" he asked.

Huffing, Draco stood and began the journey to the opposite end of the manor, where Harry's quarters had been.

He knocked on the door out of habit but opened it quickly when he saw Snape roll his eyes in irritation.

They found Harry's map and journal easily enough, but it did them little good. It was clear where Harry had gone and it would take them weeks to reach it, and they might not even be permitted to see Harry once they did.

"Have you heard of this Shadow before?" Draco asked.

Snape nodded and continued to flip through the journal. "They are an ancient Kiss of vampires, and they grow in number each year."

"How many are there?" Draco asked.

"Several hundred at least, no one knows the exact number, but there are enough of them to demolish us all if the whim hit them," Severus replied.

"Would they?" Draco asked, suddenly wary.

Snape shook his greasy head. "It's doubtful. They have lived in peace with us for centuries," he said distractedly. He was reading one of the journal passages over and over and his eyes narrowed.

"You're his mate?" he hissed.

Draco's eyes went wide. "I… I… yes," he said at last.

Severus quivered with rage. "You rejected him, sent him away to die a horrible and painful death? How could you do that to him? You don't deserve his love and admiration," he spat.

"You think I don't know that? I didn't ask to be tied to a vampire you know!" Draco yelled.

"You should be honored, and yet you treat it as a burden. You could have spent eternity in his arms and you turned away from him?" he growled, looking thoroughly disgusted with the small Slytherin boy in front of him.

"I suppose you would have found it easy to love him?" Draco asked, his voice tinged with skepticism.

Severus nodded curtly. "I already do," he added quietly.

"He's mine," Draco said, his voice low and intimidating. He didn't know where the jealousy had come from, but he was overwhelmed by it.

Snape narrowed his eyes and stared at Draco for a moment. "Not if I kill you," he hissed and leapt for Draco's throat.

--

The entrance to the mountain was cavernous and lit sporadically with torches. Harry stepped into the circle of flames and looked around him. He sensed, rather than saw, the quick movement of others gathering in the circle until he lost count of how many there were.

"Welcome," came a booming voice in front of him.

Harry knelt and waited for the figure to come forward.

When he came into view Harry shuddered. The man, or rather vampire, was lovely. He had pin-straight long silky hair that was red in color and looked as if painted onto him it was so vibrant.

He wore billowing white robes, which starkly contrasted his hair and floated around him even though there was no wind in the cavern. Around his neck hung a gleaming silver pendant with a brilliant red stone in the center.

All around him were other figures, most wearing black robes, but some in scarlet or deep purple. Every single one of them wore a pendant around their necks, though the color of the stone varied in hue from clear to a dark red, almost black.

There must have been a thousand or more gathered in this small anti-chamber and their minds all accosted him at once. Some were curious about him and others were indifferent, and there were even a few whose thoughts sounded envious.

The man in the white robes stepped forward and pulled Harry gently to his feet. "I am Orlock, keeper of the gate."

"I'm Harry, Harry Potter," he replied.

The man bowed his head slowly and the rest of the group followed suit. Gasps of awe filled his ears and his mind, but he couldn't glean the reason for it, because everyone around him was shielding heavily so that he could only catch flickers of emotion and nothing more.

"Our king awaits you in the throne room and I am to escort you there. Krill, Maltysma, see that the gate remains secure in my absence," he called to the two flanking guards. They nodded and Orlock took Harry's hand in his own and led him through a set of large wooden doors on the opposite side of the chamber.

The rest of the greeting party followed silently behind them.

Beyond the doors was what appeared to be a great market. Below his feet was a cobblestone road and above him the mountain walls were spelled to mimic a sunny spring morning. Harry sighed as he longed to bask in the glory of a real sun, but felt pleased that he could at least see the sunshine again, no matter how false.

Along the road were small shops and giant tented carts. Even more vampires occupied this space, standing in their doorways and gawking at him as he passed. He felt awkward being at the center of this bizarre parade.

The market seemed to hold everything from clothing, to potions, to fresh cut flowers, and Harry enjoyed the journey through it. The people in the market didn't wear robes, but rather frilly dresses and aprons or tweed suits and hats.

Past the market were village homes carved into the very walls of the mountain, some several stories high, and others just tiny one-room houses. Lights peeked out from windows carved into the rock and more vampires stood in front of the homes watching Harry's procession through the mountain.

Beyond the village was a castle. It was breathtaking and massive, carved from a different kind of stone than the black granite mountain. The castle walls were white and shimmered in the magical sunlight.

The following crowd dropped away until only a handful followed him across the bridge and into the castle.

Orlock led him silently through the black iron gate that marked the castle entrance and through wide expansive corridors, finally ending at a set of red mahogany doors.

"You must proceed on your own," Orlock said, letting Harry's hand drop from his own.

Harry nodded and resisted the human urge to take a deep breath. He pushed the doors wide and was confronted by a large throne room. Along the walls were stained glass windows, each showing a different manufactured landscape behind them. Between each window hung tapestries of magical creatures and buildings, and a long red carpet led up to two black granite thrones.

Harry approached the thrones cautiously and knelt before them. Only one throne was occupied and in it sat a man whose beauty Harry had nothing to compare. He had thick wavy golden blonde hair, which looked like polished metal in the shimmering light of the room. His skin was pale and his eyes were black and deep with centuries of knowledge.

His robes were gold to match his hair, but he wore the same silver pendant around his neck as all the others, his stone was a vibrant ruby red. He extended out his pale hand and Harry took it gently.

"Harry Potter," the man whispered. "We have been expecting you."

--

Authors Note: BUM BUM BUM. Two, count them two cliffhangers in the same chapter! I am **so **Slytherin.


	12. Chapter 12 Destiny Waits for No Vampire

Authors Note: I have started new fics called Alluring Lullaby & History Repeats Itself, please check it out and tell me what you think!(I'll also be posting the usual header for these on my other accounts) Thanks to my beta, Alexandra!

Chapter 12 Destiny Waits for No Vampire

Draco's eyes widened as his former professor lunged at his throat. He bound through the air like an electrified cat, but Draco easily sidestepped his movements and swatted him sharply in the back of the head. "Pull yourself together, man," he shouted.

Snape looked disoriented for a moment but seemed to compose himself, looking around the room with unease.

"What do you think you were doing, trying to attack me in my own home," Draco scoffed.

"You sent him away," Snape snarled, baring his yellowed teeth.

"Well, are you going to help me bring him back, or are you going to merely growl at me all day?" Draco asked with a wry grin.

Severus rolled his eyes. "And to think, you used to be one of my favorite pupils," he muttered.

Draco watched his former professor warily. He had seen what he currently saw in the older mans eyes several times before. Severus was plotting something nefarious, and Draco would need to find out what his scheme was before it came back to bite him in the arse.

"I'll assist you on one condition," Snape offered.

"And that condition would be?" Draco asked, genuinely curious.

"That if we do find him, you'll let me speak to him and make my case first. I'm far better suited for him than you, and he should get to choose properly between us," Snape demanded.

Draco had to stifle a laugh. "Those are reasonable terms, Severus," he responded when he felt he could get the words out without snickering. He knew that there was nothing Snape could say or do that would sever the binds between mates. Harry would leave with Draco.

Harry belonged to Draco.

"Well, then we should get started. I can tell where he was headed, and the fasted way for us to get there would be portkey," Snape noted.

"That would take a week or more to get from the Ministry," Draco replied with a huff.

"Then we can use a series of apparition points and get there in three days, or we can use muggle transportation and be there in less than two," Snape offered.

Draco paced the expansive sitting room in Harry's quarters and thought it over. He really had no want to ever travel as a muggle, but it would be the quickest way of getting to him. He yearned to be with him as soon as possible, and that yearning won out.

"What would traveling like a muggle entail?" Draco asked with heavy trepidation.

"We would fly, using a muggle airline to Ireland, and then use two apparition points from there. Getting into their fortress will be the difficult part," Snape added.

"Fine. We'll do that," Draco muttered, not happy about the idea of flying like a muggle, but content with the fact that he would see Harry soon.

"I'll make the arrangements and floo you with the details," Snape said and walked briskly from the room.

Draco watched him go and then turned his attention back to the map. Deep within the Sugarloaf Mountains lived a kiss of vampires, who according to legend hadn't killed a human in over four hundred years.

He mulled over the idea of becoming a vampire and shuddered.

It hadn't been the life he thought he was fated for, but could he accept it in the end? Could he become a loathsome monster just to be with Harry?

He didn't know.

--

"You know me?" Harry asked of the shiny golden king.

"I do, as do all of our kind. It was destiny that placed you within these walls, and we have been anxious for your arrival," he replied. His voice reverberated around the giant hall and Harry noticed that he couldn't feel the king's thoughts. Was the man shielding, or was he merely immune to Harry's powers as Narcissa and Draco were?

Thinking of Draco broke his heart and he winced, falling to one knee. The further he was away from his beloved, the weaker he felt.

"Do not think on it my child," the king said. "We shall free you from your bond with the young dragon. Already events are being set into motion to ensure your safe separation from the hold he has upon your soul."

The idea of being permanently separated from Draco was suddenly the most offensive idea he had ever heard, even though that was precisely the reason for his visit. It was only at the kings words that Harry realized what he had really wanted, a way to be with Draco without hurting him or changing him.

"There is no way," the king answered his unspoken thoughts. "The only way is to remove the bind completely. That way, you will live and so will he and you can go on to fulfill your destiny."

"And what precisely is my destiny?" Harry asked. This was the second time the kind had mentioned it, and Harry had a hard time believing he was a pawn of fate.

"Not a pawn, no," the king began, again answering Harry's mind instead of his verbal question. "You are more like the brave knight, fated to protect the Queen so that she may win in the end."

"And I suppose you would be the Queen in this scenario?" Harry asked with a wry grin.

The king chuckled lightly and it was the sound of a thousand wind chimes twinkling in the air. "No, no. Not myself, but my people, our people. We have more then ten thousand among us, Harry. Ten thousand vampires, all with the strength of more than a hundred humans, most with the power to read minds, and some with the power to influence them, and even some that have abilities unique to even our kind. We are a mighty force, Harry, but not unbreakable."

"What in Merlin's name do you think would cause you harm? We are no one's pray, nor their enemy. What need would you have for a knight to defend this fortress?" Harry asked.

"We are only at risk to ourselves. There is great discord amongst our people. There are those who believe we are far superior to the humans and they wish to conquer them, make them our slaves and our food. Their persuasive whispers are finding a foot hold within our carefully built structure and it threatens to fall," the king said.

"What could I possibly do to prevent that?" Harry asked. Surely there had to be a more qualified Vampire among them to do whatever the king was requesting.

The king shook his head. "You are special, Harry. Even amongst all our ranks, you have something that is unique," he said, and at Harry's quizzical expression he continued. "You're are a wizard first and a vampire second."

"Surely there is another with you like me, I saw the spelled sky and the potions in the market," Harry replied.

"We employ wizards to create these things for us, in fact, our very gentle existence is only possible because of the Bloodbane potion they make and distribute to our people," the king told him.

"Bloodbane potion?" Harry asked.

"These amulets around our neck absorb the potion, and with them, we can feed off of the magic, instead of human blood. The darker the stone, the more sated we are, and likewise, the paler the stone, the higher the risk that the vampire wearing it will break out pact and feed on humans," he said, twirling the amulet within his nimble hands.

"But I saw some people in the crowd who had clear stones, "Harry said in a panic.

The king nodded solemnly. "Yes, that is a sign of the resistance. Those who refuse the potion are brought before me, if they continue to refuse the potion at my behest, then they are taken to a holding cell where they cannot harm anyone. A vampire will go mad after time if they do not feed, and we cannot have a berserk on our hands."

Harry nodded, having read about the berserk Vampire. There was one a time when vampire leaders would starve their armies before going to war with another Kiss. It made the vampires stronger physically and at first seemed a brilliant strategy. They soon realized however that the extra strength was based on the fact that they could not feel, and they would keep going even if on fire, or in the sunlight. It also came at the cost of their ability to think logically, and they would often attack their own clan member just a surely as the enemy.

After passing into that frame of mind, it was nearly impossible to bring them back, and most had to be destroyed.

The king raised a brilliant golden eyebrow in admiration. "You have already done a great deal of research on our kind, this is good. It shaves that much more time from your training."

"And what will I be training for?" Harry asked, slightly nervous. He remembered Lucius offering him magical training, only to fill his own wicked wishes.

"I would like you to stand with me, against the rebellion. I think your presence here will change the stance of many of their followers. I already hear their minds stir with questions about you. If your very standing against them does not do enough, we will need to make sure you are prepared for battle, as you are our greatest asset," the king replied.

"But why would my presence make any difference? Even as a wizard, what could I possibly offer?" Harry asked, still unwilling to believe he was special.

"Ah, but Harry, you are special. I know it is true, because the prophecy tells us so," the king said in a booming tenor.

--

Draco stared down at the small scrap of parchment in his hands, which Snape had called a boarding pass. He had no idea how it was going to help him fly to Ireland.

He hated being surrounded by so much metal. There was no magic in the kind of metal these muggles used to build their giant structures. Magic was stone and wood and natural things. It could also be found in metal, but only in it's raw form. This metal was processed and ruined for all magical purposes.

Snape glowered at the muggles that surrounded them in hordes. As they approached and are with large plastic and metal doorways a portly woman in a blue jumper stopped them.

"Sirs, you'll have to take off your shoes," she said casually and waved the next people to come forward.

"My shoes? What are you going to do with my shoes?" Severus asked, thoroughly annoyed.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Sir, don't make me ask you again. Put your shoes in the basket and send them through the metal detector. You're lucky I don't have you strip searched," she added before turning back to the other muggles, muttering things like 'weird arse cape wearing moron'.

Snape's foul mood put a smile on Draco's face, in spite of being surrounded by so many muggles. He had initially dreaded the experience, but now found muggle customs quite entertaining.

"I'm coming for you, Harry," he whispered into the air. "I love you and I'll be there soon."

Authors Note: everyone say it with me now. "AW!" lol. Review and you all get chocolate frogs! lol. also, I've gotten a few random requests for friendship on my other accounts, and I just wanted to say that I pretty much approve anyone, so feel free to add me. I'm digitallace on Myspace, Facebook,Buzznet,Livejournal & Mibba.

--

Authors Note: Review to be entered to win a lifesize Harry Potter blow up doll


	13. Chapter 13 Book of Lore

Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta Alexandra

Chapter 13 The Book of Lore

"Prophecy? What prophecy?" Harry asked. If he had a hard time believing he was special, he would have an even harder time with the idea of being named in a prophecy.

The doors behind him burst open and two men came in carrying a pedestal between them. They strained under the weight of it, so Harry knew it must be heavy. On top of the stand was encased a large glittering book. Its pages were as tall as Harry's arm and they appeared to be made of solid gold parchment.

"This is our bible, Harry. There are those of us who are born in this form, and those of us that have been created through one process or another, but our entire history, the history of all Vampire kind is recorded in this tome. Our past, present and future is all spelled out on these gilded pages," the king said.

Harry approached the book tentatively and with awe. Even new to this form he could feel the pull of the book, the thirst for the knowledge buried in its depths.

"A few months ago the book told us that our race was destined to turn on the humans, and that we, as a community would fall. I would be executed, and a new bloodthirsty king would succeed my place on this throne. This king would lead the Vampire race to destruction, leaving all life, human and vampire, wiped out," the king continued.

"It sounds as though I won't do much good then." Harry muttered.

The king laughed a booming and jolly laugh. "Yes, I was quite depressed at the story the book has been telling me for a few years now. But several weeks ago the book changed, as it tends to do when events come about that will change our future."

"What did it say?" Harry whispered, desperately curious to read it himself.

"It told me of your transformation, and heralded you as our savior," he said simply and Harry had to stifle a laugh.

"I'm sorry sir, but really, how could so much hope be vested in me? What if I don't accept this destiny?" Harry asked.

"Go on and see for yourself," the king said, gesturing toward the book.

The book began to transform right before his very eyes, the thick heavy pages of Vampire history reduced in quantity by half, removing decades of life among their people. Harry cleared his mind of any decision and the book returned to its previous weight and thickness, causing Harry a sigh of relief that was purely a human habit.

The sigh caused the king to chuckle and he waved Harry closer. "It is always entertaining to have the young ones among us, but you Harry are different still. Show me some of your magic," the king asked.

Harry frowned. "Am I going to save the Vampire race by becoming court jester?"

The king's face fell into a pleasant mask. "I did not mean to offend you Harry. It's just that I've been looking forward to your arrival long before you even knew we existed. Even before the book shifted to reveal your existence, stories about you have been foretold by Vampire elders for centuries."

"The unclaimed boy who held a powerful magic within his blood. Who was stolen and tricked and given our blood. Whose love for the unattainable drove him to us. Does any of this sound familiar?" the king asked.

"You could have picked all of that from my mind," Harry replied.

The king smiled. "You're clever, Harry, and you do not crave power, nor do you seem to hold people who have it in any great regard."

"Am I supposed to apologize?" Harry asked.

"No, no. I'm merely making an observation. You see, people like yourself, even though it may be the last thing you would want, make brilliant and effective leaders," the king told him.

Harry rolled his eyes. "Then perhaps I should be king," he said sarcastically.

The king laughed and then his face fell into a gentle gasp as his eyes left Harry's face and drifted back to the book. Harry turned and followed his gaze and watched the book double and then triple in thickness at the reaction to Harry's words.

Gracefully, the king moved toward the book as if floating above the ground. He began scanning the new pages and was nearly finished within minutes. He turned slowly to look at Harry, his expression unreadable.

Harry crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. "It's hardly fair that you can read my mind, yet you close me out of yours even though you have information that belongs to me."

The king bowed his head. "You are right," he said, and a moment later Harry could hear the kings thoughts. His name was Crispan, and he was eleven hundred years old, which surprised Harry because he didn't look a day over twenty. He had been king over this colony for over four hundred years and he was thinking it might be time to step down.

He had just read about Harry's glorious reign as king and how happy his people would be under Harry's diplomatic rule. His emotions were conflicted, however, because he enjoyed being king, but he felt he could not deny his people a better fate.

He began another train of thought, which he guarded from Harry, and looked to the book, which again grew. He flipped through it and nodded to himself as if satisfied.

"None of this can transpire unless we smote our enemies inside this mountain, but when we succeed, I will ask you for your hand, Harry. I will make you my partner, and together we will rule The Shadow," Crispan said softly.

Harry opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words to tell the king 'no'. Instead he asked the most urgent question to him at the moment. "What about Draco?"

"Draco will be separated from you as I said before. He'll go on with his life and you will go on with yours, your destinies will be parted from one another, and yours will merge with mine," Crispan answered.

"But… don't you have a mate?" Harry asked, suddenly nervous.

The king didn't seem to pick up on Harry's feelings, or perhaps didn't care. "You will become my mate," he whispered.

"And what if I don't want that?" Harry asked, backing away.

"But you will. Once Draco's attachment is removed from your mind and soul, you will want me. It's all written in the book," he said.

"But my heart, what about my heart?" Harry asked.

"What _about_ your heart?" the king responded in confusion.

"You will remove him from my mind and my soul, but what about my heart?" Harry asked again. He didn't even know what he wanted Crispan to say. Did he want Draco removed, or did he want a piece of him to stay forever?

The king laughed. "Harry, our hearts are merely decoration. You carry no one inside of it."

--

Draco clutched his chest, feeling as though his heart was being sliced through.

"Are you okay?" Snape asked, with mild annoyance. "We haven't even left the ground yet."

"It's not that it's…I don't know what it is. It feels as though someone is trying to carve my heart from my chest," Draco rasped.

"A fat lot of good that would do anyone, seeing as though you're a heartless and spoiled brat," Severus mumbled.

Draco shot him a dirty look, but even that wasn't as powerful as it could have been because of the pain he was experiencing. "I feel like Harry's fading," he groaned through the sharp burn in his heart.

This caught Snape's attention. "He must already be with them. They must be trying to find ways to save him from you," he said with excitement.

"Save him from… stop being such an arse, this is serious," Draco demanded.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Only for you, and only if they succeed. I've never heard of a spell that could sever the connection between mates," he said. "Unfortunately," he added with a grimace.

"So what am I supposed to do?" Draco cried.

"Wait it out," Snape replied, trying in vain to get comfortable in his chair. Several people around them had been listening to their seemingly strange conversation and Snape snarled at them all to turn around and mind their own business.

The pain lessened slightly, and Draco tried to relax, filling his mind with images of Harry. He wouldn't give up and he would continue to fight for his love, being this far from Harry was painful enough, but he couldn't bare it if he were separated permanently from him.

He focused his mind and tried to send his thoughts of love to Harry. "I love you," he thought. "Please wait for me."

He settled back into his chair when a wave of panic washed over him, but it wasn't his emotion he was feeling. "Don't come any closer," a voice in his mind whispered. "You can't come here."

"Harry?" Draco projected silently in through his mind.

"Yes, Draco, listen to me. You can't come here, I think they may hurt you," Harry called frantically.

"Then come to me," Draco shouted silently. "I love you, Harry. Came back to me."

There was a long pause and then a whispered voice in reply. "You love me?"

"Yes, Harry. I love you, and I want to be with you no matter what that means," he responded, wiping a tear from his cheek. He ignored Snape's glare of annoyance and focused on Harry.

"Draco, you don't know what you're asking," Harry replied.

"I do. I know that I'll have to be like you, and I think I can do that," Draco said.

"You _think_? Draco, it's too large a decision for you to _think_ you'll be able to do it. I couldn't wish this fate to you," he replied.

"Just come home, and we can talk about all of it," Draco pleaded.

"I can't leave. They would never let me. I'm too important to them," Harry muttered.

"You're important to me, Harry," Draco cried.

"It's too late, Draco. I can't leave this place. You're just going to have to move on," he replied, the sound of his heart breaking reverberated through their minds.

"I'm coming for you, Harry. I'm going to be there soon, and when you see me, you'll change your mind, and if that doesn't work, I'm going to kiss you, and then you'll know that you're mine and that I'm yours and that we belong together," Draco whispered.

A choked sob rocked Draco's body as if it had come from his own lips. "They might kill you, Draco. They won't tell me what it is they'll do to separate us, but I don't trust it. I love you too much to watch you get hurt because of me," Harry sobbed.

"There's nothing for it. I'm coming, and you'll either leave with me, or you'll change me and I'll stay with you," he said.

He felt the connection slipping and he reached out for it, unwilling to let his chance to talk to Harry fall from his grasp. "I love you," he whispered.

"I love you, too," Harry whispered back and then his presence faded from Draco's mind altogether.

"What was that?" Snape asked, his brow creased with worry.

"What?" Draco replied, not willing to give up his secrets.

"Your eyes glazed white and you looked like you were in some sort of trance," Snape told him.

"I told you I was in pain," Draco replied.

Snape rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't tell me," he huffed.

Draco smiled to himself and closed his eyes, preparing for the muggle flight that would lead him closer to Harry.

Authors Note: Stupid King. Okay, to this prize today is one of the vampire blood pendants


	14. Chapter 14 Captives

Authors Note: Thanks to Shannon for being my brilliant beta for this chapter! LOVES!!

Chapter 14 Captives

Draco leaned back in his seat trying to take in his surroundings. There was a small elderly woman sitting beside him by the window, and Snape was at his other side next to the aisle. A young boy in the row ahead of them kept peering back between the seats at him and then looking away quickly when Draco caught his gaze.

The boy had only tried looking at Snape once, until the man gave him a menacing sneer and narrowed his eyes at the boy. He promptly turned around and no longer acknowledged Snape's existence, which was probably for the best.

Even though Severus seemed to know a great deal about how muggle things, like airports and airplanes, worked he didn't seem so keen to actually be near either. The security check at the terminal had been a fiasco, the man nearly wiped out fifty muggles when they tried to take his potions away.

Eventually he yielded, only to shrink the vials and steal them back from under their unsuspecting muggle noses.

"So what is all that?" Draco asked, gesturing toward the pocket holding his potions.

"The usual, general medicinal, healing, extra strength love potions," he muttered.

"Do you really think you'll be able to take Harry from me with a love potion?" Draco chuckled.

"We'll see," Snape replied with a sneer.

"We will indeed," Draco mocked, turning away from his old professor. He wasn't going to let Snape, or anyone else for that matter, come between him and Harry ever again.

The flight attendant handed Snape and Draco a small silver bag of peanuts and Snape frowned casting his aside. Draco opened the bag and popped one into his mouth. "They're not so bad, but now I need something to drink."

Snape narrowed his eyes and passed Draco a five-pound note so he could order a drink from the flight attendant when she passed again. "You really ought to know more about muggle culture," Snape mused. "Vampire's don't use magic, so if you end up with Harry in that colony, you'll need to know about their money and things like that."

Draco merely shrugged. "You know plenty about muggles and a fat lot of good it's done you so far. Plus, I intend to bring Harry back with me."

Snape snorted beside him. "Do you really think they'll let him go?"

"Why wouldn't they?" Draco asked. He knew Harry's value to him, but couldn't begin to understand why an entire kiss of vampires would feel the need to keep him. He wanted to talk to Harry again, but couldn't figure out how to open the connection between them.

"I've never heard of a vampire leaving the kiss once they arrive," Snape replied.

"Well, maybe they never had a reason to before, but Harry has me," Draco said, hoping that his love would be enough to coax Harry back, because he knew for a fact he didn't have what it would take to battle with hundreds of vampires.

--

Harry paced in the luxurious rooms the king had given him. Crispan had heard every word Draco said to Harry through their mental connection. He knew Draco was on his way and he knew that he wanted Harry. He could feel the king's rage at this revelation like a palpable thing.

The room was coated in gold and reminded Harry of a cage. Harry knew the doors to his room were not locked, but they may as well be, because they were guarded by vampires far older and stronger than himself.

He strode to the doors and yanked them open, glaring at the pair of dark haired guards. "The king has asked you to stay and wait for him," the one on the left stated dutifully.

"And if I have other plans?" Harry asked.

"The king's word is law," the one on the right replied.

Harry was furious at the outcome of things. He wanted to leave and go to Draco and keep him safe. Even if the method to separate them wasn't a risk to Draco, Harry still didn't want the fragile boy there inside the mountain in the middle of a vampire war.

The king wasn't going to fold so easily though, Harry could tell.

As if on cue Crispan burst into the room, assessing Harry coolly. "What did you do?" he demanded.

"What?" Harry's anger subsided for a moment within his confusion.

"I can't hear you anymore, what did you do," he repeated, shouting loudly.

Harry rolled his eyes and waved the king away. He hadn't done anything to block the king from his mind but he was certainly glad of it. "I didn't do anything," Harry replied.

"Vladimir, take Mr. Potter's wand," the king ordered.

One of the guards by the door marched over to Harry and extended his hand. Harry smiled widely and held up his wand. When the man called Vladimir snatched at it, Harry smirked as he watched the wand keep floating up and up just out of his reach.

Harry had no need for a wand anymore, and wasn't even sure why he carried one at all. However, this display of foolishness made it all worthwhile.

"Harry, give him the wand," the king ordered, and the wand dropped to the ground with a clatter.

"Take it," Harry whispered viciously. "I don't need it." Harry snapped his fingers and Vladimir's robes caught on fire, singeing his hair, but carefully avoiding his flesh.

The room was filled with Vladimir's screams and the king looked on with wide eyes and paled significantly, which for a vampire was a feat in itself. The other guard rushed Harry and he levitated out of his reach with only a wave.

"I would suggest, king, that you stop treating me as a prisoner if you would like my help," Harry noted in a singsong voice. "Otherwise I can make myself of use to those that oppose you," he added with a smile.

The king snarled his displeasure. "You wouldn't dare," he hissed.

"Try me," Harry replied with a smug grin.

Finally the king nodded, to which Harry replied by dousing the flames of his guard and floating back to the ground.

"How did you close off your thoughts to me?" the king demanded the moment Harry's toes hit the ground.

"I did nothing on purpose, but I can't say I'm displeased. You've been keeping things from me Crispan, and it's only fair that I do the same," Harry replied. He had a feeling that the king's loss of telepathy, at least when it came to him, was because of Harry's anger, so he wrapped it around himself like a blanket and held tightly to it, never letting it waver.

"Do you really expect me to believe that you didn't block me out on purpose?" the king asked.

Harry closed the distance between them in a single step and stared into the glowing eyes of the king. "I don't care what you believe, but you should trust me when I say that I will not help you if you continue to hold me prisoner."

The king's face softened and he grazed fingertips along Harry's jaw. "I could give you pleasures unknown to anyone here, Harry. Just pledge your allegiance to me and I'll have the entire kiss worshipping at your feet," he whispered.

Harry kept his face very neutral, but kept the contempt he held for the king in that moment firmly in his fiery green gaze. "I have no want for that. I only want Draco, and until you promise to let me see him, you shall get no pledge from me."

The king frowned and seemed to ponder the request carefully. "Done. I swear, as Crispan, King of the Shadow Kiss, that you shall see your beloved Draco when we bring him into our midst. My word is law."

Harry nodded. "Then I shall assist you in your cause against the resistance in any way that I can."

"Thank you, Harry," the king cooed. "Might I interest you in anything while you wait for our elders to gather?"

Harry would be attending this meeting of the vampire elders to discuss what would be done to stop the resistance party. He had no mind for politics, especially thousand-year-old politics, and the meeting would not be taking place until nightfall, so Harry had several hours to… kill so to speak.

"I'd rather go for a walk, see the city now that I'm not being paraded through it and watched at every angle," Harry replied.

"Harry, you will always be watched no matter where you go, but feel free," he said. "However, I implore you to take one of the guards. They can warn you of potential threats while you're outside these castle walls."

Harry thought that was fair, as he didn't know his way around the vast mountain city. He could use a guide. "Vladimir, will you accompany me?" he asked.

The dark haired vampire, whose robes were badly burned, looked to his king who nodded. "But change first, Vladimir," he said with a laugh and left Harry's quarters.

--

"I'm sorry about the display back there," Harry said as soon as he and Vladimir had left the castle.

The other vampire didn't speak and clearly wanted nothing to do with Harry, which didn't really faze him much. Harry was only bringing him along to appease the king. "So Vlad, can I call you Vlad?"

"No," he grunted.

Harry laughed and patted the man briskly on the back, making him flinch.

"Well, what would you suggest I do first?" Harry asked.

"You mean aside from playing in sunlight? Maybe I could bury you alive and see how long it took the king to find you?" Vladimir replied.

Harry chuckled. "Maybe some other time."

"How about a nice pointy stick through the heart?" Vladimir suggested.

"Does that really work?" Harry asked, genuinely curious.

Vladimir shrugged. "Never tried it."

"You're not being a very good sport about all this," Harry noted.

"What, you mean about being set on fire? Sorry, it's just not my sense of humor I guess," he replied sarcastically.

Harry chuckled again. "I didn't actually hurt you though."

"Really? Then what do you call this?" he asked, lifting up a severely burnt lock of hair.

Harry ran his fingers over it and the hair shifted and grew back to its long silky length. "There. All better. Anything else?"

Vladimir huffed and shook his head. "You're a bit volatile, I think," he observed.

Harry shrugged lightly. "I've been through a lot lately, I guess. I really didn't mean to frighten you, though. I'm not typically a scary person."

"Could have fooled me," he replied. "Are you really supposed to be our savior?"

"I hope not," Harry replied with a groan.

"Me too," Vladimir mused.

--

Draco felt weak, hungry and entirely spent.

They slumped by a tree at the foot of the Sugarloaf Mountains looking up at the vast sparkling expanse of it and wondering how in Merlin's name they ever stood a chance of getting into it. They had just managed to get there about an hour ago, and Draco's magic was still trying to replenish from the long distance apparition.

They hadn't been able to get a flight any closer than Cork on such short notice, so it took two separate apparition points to get to that particular spot in the mountain range and that exhausted their magic reserves significantly.

"So what do we do now?" he asked Severus who looked to be slumbering lightly.

"We wait," Snape replied.

"For?" Draco asked impatiently, though really he was happy regardless because they were already ahead of schedule.

"Night. There is no chance of them opening the door for us before nightfall. Really Draco, don't you know anything about vampires?" Snape replied snidely.

Draco rolled his eyes but remained silent as he watched the sun slowly set over the horizon. "Now what?" he asked as soon as the sun had dipped beyond the mountain casting the world into twilight.

Snape sighed and got to his feet. He had already sought out the entrance while Draco stared off into the blazing sunlight and he began walking toward the tree lined path without another word.

Draco followed as Snape knew he would and before long they were standing in front of a large stone door. "It says we cannot get in unless we're vampires," Snape said, slightly disappointed. He had known that it wouldn't be as easy as knocking, but hoped there would be a guard or someone he could persuade to allow him entrance.

As he pondered over their mess, the door began to slowly open and Draco tugged on the sleeve of his robes to alert him. They both stepped into the widening gap and blinked against the flaming torches, trying to see into the large cavernous room.

There were no guards or a welcome party in the vast hall they stepped into, but rather a welcome mob. They were completely surrounded by vampires, some of them even carrying weapons regardless of the insignificant threat Draco and Snape pose to the massive horde. All of them wore clear crystal pendants around their necks, and their eyes glowed with an otherworldly brilliance.

"There must be thousands of them, Sev. I thought you said there were maybe hundreds?" Draco hissed.

"I said no one had any idea how many there were, that there might be hundreds," Snape whispered back, well aware the Vampires could still hear them no matter how quietly they spoke.

"What do we do now?" Draco asked.

"Oh no, you're on your own now. It's every man for himself with this bunch," Snape replied with a sneer.

"Bastard," Draco hissed and turned to the nearest vampire. "I'm looking for Harry Potter," Draco told him.

There was a raucous laugh among the entire group and the vampire Draco had spoken to grinned widely, flashing fang. "So are we," he said.

Draco was confused. "Isn't he here?"

The vampire stepped forward and ran his hand over Draco's cheek. "You'll fetch a pretty pound at the market," he whispered, running his hand through Draco's pale golden hair. "Very unique, very… alive."

Draco flinched away, but the vampire caught his hair tightly in his fist and pulled him back. He ran a razor sharp nail across Draco's throat, not drawing blood but warning Draco that he could. "What's you name, pretty human?"

Draco raised his head up and puffed his chest out, the question reminding him of who he was and why he was there. Malfoy's didn't cower in the face of danger, and they always got what they wanted. "I'm Draco Malfoy, Harry's mate."

A gasp rang out amongst them and the vampire he has been talking to grinned even wider. "Well, well, well. I do believe we have ourselves a hostage."

Draco tried to pull away but the vampires grip was like steadfast iron and he couldn't even get to his wand. "And who are you?" the vampire asked, turning to Snape.

"I'm no one of consequence, I just led the boy here. I'll take my leave now if you don't mind, he said haughtily, angling for the door.

Another vampire was on him like a blur and another bought of laughter erupted in the cavern. "Well then you, sir, will go to the highest bidder," the vampire told him and summoned his group to leave.

--

Authors Note: So, whats the starting bid for Snape? Do I hear ten galleons? Twenty, do I hear twenty?


	15. Chapter 15 The Council of Ten

Authors Note:*** To anyone who hasn't already seen, I've posted a new Oneshot called Only Fools Rush In. It's quite long, so be warned. Out of all my stories, this one has been the biggest thorn. There isn't much about Vampires that hasn't already been written, so I hope that some of the things I'm doing with this tale feel original and not stale. Many thanks to my new Beta Robert (Ragnarok45) who is currently working on this story and one other (Expensive Disaster) for me at the moment. Also, I've started a yahoo group for anyone who wishes to join which I will be using for various things related to my fiction including update alerts, story/chapter discussion and other things. If you're interested you can join at groups dot yahoo dot com/group/Digitallace/

Chapter 15 The Council of Ten

Draco was getting more and more disoriented as he was led quickly through the labyrinth of caverns inside the mountain. The twists and turns in their route had him unsure how deep into the giant rock they had traveled or even how long they had been walking; it felt like miles.

The longer they walked the more certain Draco became that he was going to die. There was no way for him to sneak out, no way for him to talk his way out of it, and certainly no way for him to fight.

Severus trailed behind him grumbling about the lacking hospitality and moaning that he should never have come, which Draco couldn't help but agree with. He even found himself wishing that he hadn't stormed the mountain and instead listened when Harry told him not to come.

But he knew better, Draco never could have lived with himself if he hadn't at least tried to see Harry, even now, even if it was only one last time he got to to see his beautiful Harry again. "He'll never let you just kill me you know," Draco shouted. "He'll come for me."

"That's what we're counting on young one," the vampire beside him replied. In spite of the pure evil that dripped from her, she was actually quite stunning. She had long red hair, but not the garish ginger color of some of his old Weasley classmates, but rather a strawberry blonde, almost pink in hue. Her have was long and sharp and her face was painted up with dramatic black makeup that made her blue eyes shine despite the gloom of the cave they were walking through.

Aside from her – Draco did not yet know her name – there were nine others in their party. A tall, dark-skinned gentleman in black leather who went by the name Uthos, two fair-haired women that looked like twins, one name Sabel and the other was Krist. Surrounding Severus were two very bulky men, both with black hair and silver studs in their skin, neither of which spoke at all. Then there were two in the front, Jacob and Pix, and two in the rear, Tobin and Mint.

None of them spoke much as they pulled Draco and Severus along, and he was lucky to just glean their names. "Why do you all want Harry so badly?" Draco asked.

"He's the king's weapon. We either need to make him join us, or destroy him," the woman beside him answered.

"Then let me go to him, and I'll convince him for you. If he would listen to anyone, it would be me," Draco pleaded.

"Hush Callie, the prisoners are not to be spoken to," Jacob called from the front.

"They're only humans," Callie scoffed.

"That human is the mate to the one we seek. He's dangerous," Jacob replied.

Callie lifted Draco's pale arm and let it drop limply. "He's scrawny," she called back as if Draco couldn't hear her.

"He's dangerous to our cause, Callie, not our bodies," Jacob replied with annoyance.

"Fine," Callie huffed and scrutinized Draco closely, most likely still looking for potential danger from the seemingly frail boy.

They continued on in silence, the one called Callie looking over at Draco occasionally and Severus padding quietly behind them under his own careful surveillance.

When they finally arrived at their destination, Draco was caught off guard by the grandeur and opulence of it. Carved into the rock face of the mountain was a palace, its detailing inset with black granite walls and amethyst stone pillars. It seemed to sparkle in spite of the lack of natural light underground, as it was lit with strings of fairy lights.

The structure was magnificent, almost ten stories tall with giant half turrets carved into the face of the mountain and various windows and alcoves recessed into it. It was as if someone only built an entire palace, but over time the majority of it was covered by mountain, leaving only three meters of the face exposed. Large white marble stairs led up to wrought iron gates, which had already been opened to allow them access to the manor.

Severus stepped up beside Draco to get a better look of their new surroundings and Draco took that moment to elbow the man sharply in the ribs for his previous antics in the entrance chamber. "I hope they really do sell you off like cattle. It would serve you right, traitor," Draco hissed.

"I couldn't possibly be a traitor if my only loyalty is to myself," Severus replied with narrowed eyes.

Callie took Draco's arm and led him up the stairs and into the glistening stone palace. Despite his trepidation, he couldn't help but feel slightly awestruck by the brilliant craftsmanship as he entered through the gates and another set of towering walnut doors. The interior was mostly white, aside from the amethyst pillars, which continued down the walls inside, sparkling in the light from the massive silver chandelier hanging above their heads.

The floors were the same black granite used on the outside of the palace, which Draco now saw had thick flecks of metallic gold floating within it's obsidian depths. Lavish furnishings were littered throughout, as well as ornately carved doors leading off the main hall.

They made a sharp left at the end of the first hall, which led them down a long corridor covered in paintings, most of which bore some stunningly beautiful lord or lady; Draco could only assume they were paintings of vampires.

At the end of the corridor were a set of doors, each one at least two stories high and carved with detailed pictures that Draco didn't have time to process before being forced through them.

"Take the sallow one to the auction chamber and leave him with Callus," Jacob ordered, and the two bulky vampires dragged Severus away despite his cranky protests.

"Just keep quiet, boy," Callie whispered into Draco's ear. "You don't want to say anything that would anger the council," she advised.

Draco nodded curtly as she led him to the far side of the room. There were chains and shackles bunched up by the wall, but Callie didn't bother with them, instead choosing to keep a firm grip on his upper arm. Draco already knew there was nothing he could do to free himself from her grasp, and she could easily tear his arm clean off should she feel the need to do so.

The room was long and narrow with a large oval table was set in the center of it, surrounded by ten tall black wooden chairs. The walls were a deep gray stone, but sectioned off into six murals, each of which depicted an elaborate piece of artwork that looked like enormous stained glass windows looking over an Italian vineyard.

The doors opened once more and several people filed into the room, each one sending a shiver down Draco's spine. These were not the fair, young-looking vampires that had greeted Draco at the mountain entrance, at least not all of them. No, the vampires that entered the room and took their seats at the mighty desk were quite ancient looking.

They all had long silver hair that they would have to sweep aside in order to sit down. They wore matching black silk garments that hung loosely, yet well tailored over their pale bodies. There were five women and five men, but all looked nearly identical.

Draco could tell they were a fair bit older then the rest he had seen so far, but how much older he couldn't tell. Physically they still appeared young in that they had smooth unmarred skin and agile movements, but there was a presence about them that made Draco wonder how long these particular vampires had actually been alive: how much they had witnessed.

In unison they turned to look at Draco, and he suddenly understood why they seemed so different from the others. Though they appeared to be as young as Callie who was tensed beside him, they had eyes as black as pitch and the color didn't stop at the iris, but bled into the rest, making them solid obsidian between pale lids and lashes. The effect was unnerving at best.

What was most surprising though were the ten who entered in _with_ the ancient vampires. They each took a place behind a chair and Draco though they were assistants at first, then he noticed that most were of opposing gender to the seated vampire, and he speculated that they must be their mates. That was of course until one of them moved to assist their ancient… with magic.

Behind each vampire, clothed in a deep purple so dark it would have looked black if it hadn't been right next to true black cloth, stood ten witches and wizards, the first Draco had seen since his arrival. It wasn't until he realized this that he noticed that they were not vampires at all, and still entirely human, living amongst the vampires and seemingly content.

Draco felt a stirring of hope that he wouldn't be killed; after all, he was also a wizard and could certainly be just as useful as any of these.

"Calliope, who do you bring before us," the one furthest from them spoke, her voice like a wind chime.

"This is Draco Malfoy, mate to the chosen one," she replied and the group all silently looked to one another in question.

"He's human," one of them stated plainly, but as if that meant what Callie said was impossible.

"I'm aware of that," she replied, looking as if it took force of will not to roll her eyes at the obvious statement.

"So he has yet to bond with his mate," said another, a man, who had a deep booming cadence that nearly shook the walls.

"We believe that is true, yes," she replied, her eyes flickering to Draco before settling back on the table of ancients.

"Well this is simple, kill him and soon the chosen one will die. Surely he cannot live long enough to destroy us if we squash his mate," another one piped in, but was thankfully met by discord.

"No, we cannot simply murder the mate of the chosen one, no mater how… human he is," another spoke up.

"Abigail is right, that's against our law, and we cannot start breaking vampire law or else we're no better then the king," another woman said with a lilting, breathy voice.

There was a mass of grumbling at the table and Draco plunged his hands deep into his robe pockets, reaching for his wand. He wanted to be prepared if the council turned on him. There might not be much he could do to destroy any of them, but he could try and slow them down at the very least. Draco Malfoy would not die at the hand of a bloodsucker, at least not any of these, and not without a fight.

"What is that?" Callie hissed suddenly.

Draco looked up in time to see her eyes widen. "He's a wizard," she announced, pulling Draco's arm from his pocket to reveal his wand, still gripped tightly in his hand.

A gasp rang out through the room, and even the other witches and wizards looked up at him then. "Well this changes everything," one of the ancients mused.

"We can bind him to another and break his hold on the Potter boy," the man with the booming voice said.

"Only if he cannot pursuade the chosen one to fight with us, instead of against us," the slight woman with the lilting voice corrected.

"Of course," the other replied, though his fanged smile made Draco wary.

"Take him to his quarters and bring us Robert," called the one on the end and Callie dropped into a low bow, which Draco attempted to mimic, but failed, and pulled Draco gently from the room.

"Why didn't you tell me you were wizard?" she hissed.

"Why does it matter so much?" Draco replied.

"Wizards are highly sought after here in our colony. The king holds most of them in his castle and refuses to let them work for us, and the few we do have are obligated to the council. We only have two others aside from the ones you saw in that room," she replied.

"Well now you have two more I suppose," Draco grumbled.

"The other is a wizard as well?" she asked excitedly.

"Snape? Yes, he is… unfortunately. Are you really going to sell him?" Draco asked hopefully.

She shook her head. "The council will claim him now, as long as I can get to the auctioneer before he's sold off to the highest bidder."

"So now what happens to us?" Draco asked, thankful that he had been paired up with the only vampire willing to speak with him.

"We'll get your mates attention and hope he comes after you. If you can't convince him to join us and oppose the king, then you'll be turned over to the council and you'll work for us until you grow too old," she responded matter-of-factly.

"So I have no choice?" Draco asked. "What happens to Harry if he refuses to join you? I can't go home to my family?"

Callie chuckled softly and patted Draco on the back. "Easy, young one. You'll get all your answers in due time." They stopped in front of a large walnut door and she ushered Draco through it. "For now I must try to save your companion."

"Do you have to?" Draco asked grudgingly.

"I'm afraid so," Callie replied with a smile and left Draco alone with his questions.

--

"He's here?" Harry shouted, stepping closer to the king.

"Yes, he's been taken by the rebellion and is being held his prisoner. They wish to meet with you," the king sighed.

"I'll go, did they say where, or when?" Harry asked, frantic to see his beloved and make sure he was safe.

"You don't understand Harry, they'll destroy you," the king replied, standing up and pacing the room.

"Then send your guard along with me. I need to get Draco!" Harry shouted, glaring at the king who still had his back turned away from him.

"As you wish," the king conceding. "But you must take the full guard with you. There is no telling how large a number they will bring, and even with your elevated magic you pose little threat at the moment. It's nearly impossible to kill us, even by magical means."

The king walked up to Harry and cupped his face gently in his golden hands. "Be safe, Harry," he whispered before kissing the boy tenderly on the forehead.

Harry nodded briskly and glided from the room, eager to get to Draco. The king went to his throne and sat at the edge of it, unsure of how to proceed. At last, he called in Vladimir who kneeled at the king's feet, head bowed.

"Are you loyal to me my dearest, Vladimir," the king asked simply.

"Of course my fairest king," Vladimir responded at once.

"And would you do something if I should bid you, no matter how distasteful?" the king asked of him.

"Your word is law sire," he replied, head still lowered.

"Then you will go with Harry and watch him closely for me. If he defects, if he shows any inclination to join the rebellion… you must destroy his mate," the king ordered.

Vladimir's head shot up and he looked frantic at the king. "My lord, it is against our laws to kill a vampire's mate."

"My _word_ is law is it not? And my word is to kill Draco and bring Harry back to me so that I may bond with him. I shall have my victory and Harry will be by my side while I reap my winnings from the rebellion and their council," the king demanded.

"And if Harry doesn't defy you? If he wins Draco away from them without joining their cause?" Vladimir asked.

The king looked away, his eyes flickering up to the Book of Lore. "Kill him regardless," the king ordered at last before dismissing his loyal guard.

--

Authors Note: Okay, so the Tristan and Theo voodoo dolls went over really well, how would you all like a King Crispan Voodoo doll?


	16. Chapter 16 Hybrid

Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta, Robert for his work on this chapter.

Chapter 16 Hybrid

"The bidding starts at ten knuts for this sallow creature," the fair-haired man boomed through the cavern, sending several hands up into the air.

Snape scowled, his eyes burning with malice and his sneer practically dripping with loathing. He was hardly in the mood to be some vampire's plaything, but he imagined a worse fate was being held for Draco. Why the boy felt the need to declare his bond to Harry to a band of menacing strangers was beyond his grasp, but then the young Malfoy had always been headstrong and stubborn.

"Do I hear three sickles, four, how about five?" the man called out again to a new bout of hands. "He looks full of blood, though maybe not very tasty blood," he shouted, poking Snape, who promptly swatted him away with narrowed eyes. "Surly too," the auctioneer added.

More hands went up and Snape resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It did no good to get excitable under pressure, and he was not easily excitable in the first. Though he still held hope that he might get to look upon Harry once more before being carted away to a fate that surely ended with his death.

"Sixteen sickles, how about a galleon, do I hear one galleon?" he called.

There was an odd shift in the group and a lithe woman that Snape vaguely recognized from their welcoming party leapt onto the stage and skulked up to the auctioneer. Snape tried to listen to their whispered conversation but heard nothing, then as the fair-haired man's face fell, Snape began imagining the worst.

"I'm sorry folks, but I'm afraid that lot number eighty-two is off the market by decree of the Shadow Council," he called out to a sea of disgruntled vampires.

The girl walked up to Snape and pulled him from the stage, leading him along a narrow passage and through a set of heavy doors. "Why didn't you mention you were a wizard?" she asked as soon as they were alone.

"I wasn't given much of a chance to speak," Snape replied, his voice thick with disdain.

"You'll be kept alive because of it, given to one of the masters instead of one of the lowly you were about to be auctioned off too," she noted.

"Brilliant," Snape drawled sarcastically and the girl huffed and led him along toward Draco's room.

"Your companion is inside," she informed him upon reaching the door and opening it, gesturing for Severus to enter.

"Malfoy," Severus growled in greeting.

"Snape," Draco snarled in response.

"You'll both be called upon soon, as we hear the Chosen One's approach," she told them. "We can't seem to hear his mind, but the guards all feel his presence walking among them and so we know he comes too. It looks like he wants to save you, or at least save one of you," she teased and left them alone in the room.

"Why did you tell them I was a wizard," Snape growled as soon as she left.

"I saved your neck," Draco shouted, appalled at being reprimanded for saving him.

"You saved my neck from one bloodsucker only to give it up to one more powerful," Snape corrected him.

"I thought you loved powerful vampires," Draco replied, drawing the word 'loved' out as long as he could stand. "You certainly couldn't keep your grabby paws off of Harry."

"I knew Harry as a human, which is more than I can say for you," Severus replied.

"It's not as if I had much choice in that," Draco shouted.

"All the same, I fell in love with him naturally, whereas you hated him and drove him away. You only want him now because you know you'll die without him," Severus scoffed.

"That's not true!" Draco shouted. "I love him."

"You're drawn to the bond, not to him," Severus replied haughtily, relishing in the defeated look in the blonde's pale face.

They sat in silence for what seemed like hours, but was probably mere minutes, when the door opened and they were led from the room and back through the way they came in.

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Harry missed so much from his old human life; the taste of food, sleeping in a warm bed and dreaming, but one thing he didn't miss was human slowness and fatigue. The trip to the rebellions encampment would have taken almost a full day and left any human weary to the bone, but for Harry and the King's guard it was a swift jaunt through the winding quartz tunnels of the Sugarloaf mountains.

When he approached the looming amethyst structure, the council marched out to meet him, their human servants in tow. Harry could feel Draco among them, but he couldn't see him yet.

"Chosen One, you honor us with your presence," one of the elder's called.

"I'm here for my mate, not for tea and pleasantries. Where is Draco?" he asked.

They brought Draco to the front of the council and Harry sighed his relief that the boy was unharmed. He looked tired and dirty, but otherwise fine. "Release him," Harry demanded.

"Treaty with us and we will let him go," the elder called back.

"I don't bargain with murderers," Harry growled to a sea of hisses and gasps.

"You have been mislead, young one. It is not we who commit murder, but your golden king," the elder replied.

Harry turned confused eyes to his guard, who each looked at one another in turn, their gaze eventually landing on Vladimir. "The king wears the amulet, he doesn't bleed humans," Vladimir told him.

A chuckle rumbled through the Council and Harry turned back to them. "You have much learn, Chosen One, treaty with us and you will learn all."

"Release Draco to my custody and I will meet with you," Harry offered.

The Council all closed their eyes in unison and Harry could see their eyes moving swiftly and erratically behind their lids. When they resumed their gaze on Harry, the elder in the center of the group nodded. "You are honest," she said and let go of Draco's hand.

At once the blonde ran into Harry's arms, lunging up and wrapping his legs around the vampire's waist. "I thought I'd never see you again," Draco told him, looking suddenly embarrassed.

Harry chuckled and wrapped his arms tightly around the fragile human in his arms and kissed him swiftly, savoring every second, every touch and every taste. Draco pressed against him, moaning into his mouth, his whole body vibrating at Harry's languid touch.

When they parted, Harry felt no loss of air as Draco panted, his eyes fluttering shut. "Don't leave me here," he pleaded.

"I'll never leave you again," he whispered, trailing fingers through Draco's messy blonde hair. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Draco promised and kissed him again, this time parting due to prompting from Harry's guard.

"Perhaps you should leave the human with me while you meet with the council," Vladimir offered.

Harry shook his head without question. "No, he stays with me," he replied at once. "Always," he added with a piercing look toward his love.

Draco smiled at him as Harry set him back on the ground, lacing his fingers through his own and they followed the Council into the Amethyst tower.

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"The king is corrupt," Elizabeth said. She was the central elder, their spokesperson in most public arenas. Her long silver hair shone in the amber light and her black robes billowed in the slight breeze coursing around them.

They sat in a courtyard, gathered around a massive stone table. There was grass under their feet and a manufactured sky offered false dappled sunlight to grace their nearly translucent skin. They each had a human servant who would both nourish them and act as companion and mate. These wizards and witches, for they were all of magical origin, were there voluntarily and truly loved their vampire halves.

Harry sat with Draco leaning against his side, frail arms wrapped around his marble strength. Draco's weight at his side was a comforting thing and he hadn't even realized how much he missed the boy's presence until he was in it once more.

The Shadow Council had introduced themselves; the five men named Linden, Montblanc, Asriel, Giaus and Tipal and the five women; Elizabeth, Alexandra, Laurel, Beatrix and Isabella, all nearly identical, and all ethereally beautiful and wise.

"Crispan was once part of us, the Shadow Council was originally composed of thirteen. All of us came from the various colonies at the time, and all of us were individual leaders of separate kisses," Elizabeth explained.

"All thirteen of us were called to this place, summoned as if from a higher power," Giaus added.

"When we arrived here in the mountain, our consciousnesses merged, creating a singular source of light, hope and ruling. We formed this council, and built this city under the earth, all so that we could live a life free from persecution," Beatrix told them.

"In some ways we've grown stronger, but in other ways we have weakened. Our thirsts no longer rule us, but that doesn't eliminate the need for human blood, so occasionally humans will come among us and feed us by giving some of their blood to our magical population, who create potions for all of us that mimic human blood and it sustains us," Linden added.

Draco shifted next to Harry, and it took him a moment to realize that the blonde had fallen asleep. He chuckled and apologized to the Council as he let the boy cuddle into his lap.

"Would you like me to take him back to his room?" Vladimir asked him at once.

Harry thought Draco might prefer a nice warm bed as opposed to his stony lap, but he was selfish and didn't want Draco out of his presence ever again. In the end he shook his head and waved Vladimir away.

"If you've found magical means to control your thirst, how does that make you weak?" Harry asked.

"That's not what weakens us, but it was the catalyst," Elizabeth answered. "You see, when Crispan realized that he could use the powers of our magical population, he began to grow greedy. He wanted us to harness the magic for ourselves in order to make us all powerful and indestructible."

"At first he seemed to want it purely for our survival, and why not? As beings sited in human lore and horror legends we were often destroyed if we left the mountain, so in a way it made sense to give us the power to withstand the humans prejudice," Alexandra added.

"But we _are_ indestructible, or at least virtually so," Harry said, not understanding how these vampires could ever be afraid of humans.

"We were not always this way," Elizabeth said solemnly, as if wishing for a time long forgotten to resurface. "We used to bask in the light of the sun, we used to have extra speed and strength, but not so much that it set us very far apart from very talented humans. We could be killed in many ways, though we did heal very quickly so it did make the act of killing a vampire harder. The only real talent that set us so far apart from humans was our ability to read the minds of others."

"So then what happened to turn our flesh into stone, to make us burn in the light?" Harry asked.

"Crispan," the answered in unison.

"He succeeded in harnessing magic and making us indestructible, but it came with a price. We are no longer able to step into the light of day, and we are no longer able to be with humans, who are now far too fragile to couple with us," Isabella informed him sadly.

"So you don't-" Harry began, looking from the vampire's to their human servants and the council chuckled in unison.

"They are bound to us, but not physically. They feed us, they help us and they love us, but we are unable to be intimate with them," Isabella added.

"So why are you at war with the king?" Harry asked, ready to get to the point and take Draco away, back to the manor.

"King?" Asriel scoffed. "Crispan is no king."

Elizabeth placed her hand over Asriel's and sighed. "Crispan wanted to continue his experiments on our kind: he wanted to do the unthinkable; we all voted against him."

"Almost all of us," Giaus corrected.

"That's true. Kristoff and Emily both sided with him," Elizabeth added with a haunted look in her eyes.

Alexandra hissed at the mention of the other two and the remaining council members all closed their eyes, calming her instantly.

Harry looked on curiously and Elizabeth, eyes still closed, answered his silent questions. "Kristoff was Crispan's mate, and Emily was in love with Kristoff. They both left the Council when Crispan did, but when they stood up to him, Crispan destroyed them both."

"What? How could he destroy his own mate? I could never harm Draco, he's my whole life," Harry gasped, feeling a sob work its way into his throat at the very idea of losing Draco. He pulled his beloved close to him, stroking the platinum blonde locks.

"In these parts Crispan is only referred to as 'the Heartless'," Beatrix replied.

Harry shook his head. "No, I can't believe any of this. Why would he have so many followers if he were so cruel?" he asked.

"He binds them to him with oaths, and with the blood dampener potion. He has most of the magical community under lock and key, and will only distribute the potions to his loyal followers," Elizabeth answered.

"Why does he want me?" Harry asked.

"You are the Chosen One, the only successful hybrid ever made and your action in these next few days will decide the future of all vampires. He wants to control those actions," she replied.

"As do we," Asriel added honestly.

"What if all I want to do is take Draco back home? I don't want any part of this war," he told them.

"We could arrange your departure once Crispan is handled," Elizabeth offered.

Harry sat back roughly in his chair and wove his fingers through Draco's hair. "How do I know who is telling me the truth?" Harry asked, more to himself then to the council, but in answer, they linked hands and Tipal, who sat closest to him and who had yet said a word, touched Harry's forehead.

Brilliant images filled his sight as scene after scene played in front of him. Everything from their individual journey's to the final vote to banish Crispan, to getting Kristoff and Emily's heads sent back to them after their death, it all played out in front of him like a muggle television show.

Harry blinked rapidly once the images had fallen away, and if he had the need to breathe, he would have been breathless. "He's been trying to create someone like me," Harry whispered. "He's been trying but failing over and over. He's killed hundreds," he gasped.

The Council nodded in unison. "He's been trying to glean from your mind how you were created, but he has yet to find it. You guard your mind like no one we have ever come across."

"I can only see snippets of images in your mind and I am the strongest of us," Tipal said, his voice was raspy and soft from disuse.

"Will you join us, Harry," Elizabeth asked finally.

He didn't even need to think about his answer and nodded at once. He couldn't let a monster like Crispan continue his rule. "Yes," he answered.

In a blur of movement, Draco was ripped from his lap and Harry looked around to find Vladimir holding the blonde by the throat, and using the boy's body as a weak human shield. "He will die for your betrayal," Vladimir yelled, and started tracing a razor sharp nail across Draco's throat, eliciting a whimper from Harry's mate, and growl from Harry's own throat.

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Authors Note: oooh. Bad Vlad. lol. Well, the end is in sight for this fic. I'm thinking maybe 4 or 5 more chapters. Vampire Harry's for all who review!


	17. Chapter 17 Life and Death

Authors note: Many thanks to my beta Robert, who has worked his magic on this fic. (Did that sound dirty to anyone else or do I just need to get my mind out of the gutter?)

Chapter 17 Life and Death

"You betrayed the king," Vladimir shouted, his nail still carefully pressed against Draco's neck.

"Let Draco go," Harry demanded, his voice holding an edge of violence brought on by just getting his love back only to have him stolen and threatened.

Draco squirmed in Vladimir's grasp, but the vampire held him tightly. The rest of the guard and the council remained perfectly still while Harry walked slowly toward the vampire and his victim.

"Not another step closer," Vladimir warned. "I'll bleed him dry before you can reach us."

"You just heard them: it is the king who betrayed _me_, betrayed all of us," Harry snarled. "Why are you doing this?"

"They lie," Vladimir hissed.

"That may well be the case, but my mate has nothing to do with it," Harry replied levelly.

"No, but _you_ do, and this measly human is the way to you," the vampire replied.

"Let. Him. Go." Harry growled through gritted teeth, magic curling around his fingers.

A wave of tension flowed through the room, as if spreading one by one through every vampire as they watched the standoff. The council was very eager to see what the Chosen One was truly capable of and the guard looked ready to defend both their captain and themselves.

"If you cast a spell, you'll be endangering him as well," Vladimir noted, sounding very confident.

"You know first hand that isn't true, Vlad," Harry replied with a dark grin, thinking of the fire had used on Vladimir's clothing at the castle. Harry looked menacing, his fingers twitching at his sides, and his bright emerald eyes seemed to glow with the magic inside of him.

Vladimir's eye flicked to Harry's powerful hands but said nothing.

"Last chance, Vlad. I'd rather not kill you, but you know I will," Harry said, already prepared for it.

"You can't kill me," the vampire replied. "And I told you not to call me Vlad," he added, beginning to slice into Draco's pale neck with his nail.

At the same time that Vladimir punctured Draco's throat, Harry whispered '_Inanis Vita_' his right hand cast in the direction of the vampire's head. A sharp hissing gasp filed the room, like a punctured balloon as Vladimir's eyes widened before drying up and shriveling into nothing. His once beautiful skin began to crack and shrink, and he was forced to release Draco as his body began to collapse in on itself in a smoldering wave of dust.

Draco shrieked as one of the other guards latched himself to his already wounded and bleeding neck. Harry set the legs of that guard on fire, but he merely looked back at Harry and snarled before trying to pull Draco's throat back to his mouth.

The slight distraction was all Harry needed to shoot a carefully placed _Reducto_ curse at the vampire's head, reducing him to a pile of meat on the floor.

With lightning speed he scooped Draco up and held him close, blocking off the wound with his hand so that he would lose no more blood. The blonde hung limp and unconscious; his platinum hair was matted in crimson and his eyes held no gaze.

He took him over to the elders who all looked around in dismay. The rest of the king's guard was being held back, but a few of the council seemed disturbed by the two lying in heaps across the room.

"You killed them," Tipal whispered.

"They left me little choice," Harry responded defensively. "I will not sacrifice Draco to save one of them."

"Yet you may have," Isabella told him and tried to take Draco from Harry's arms. Harry felt a brief spike of anger course through his stomach and stepped out of her reach, yanking Draco away.

"I'm only trying to help," she assured him, but Harry could fill the doubt swimming at the back of his mind. Eventually, though, he grudgingly allowed the older vampire to inspect his beloved.

"There is nothing we can do for him, sister. The boy must be turned," Isabella told Harry after a moment's investigation.

"I can't do that, he never gave me permission," Harry sobbed. There had to be some other way, he just couldn't change Draco in this manner, it wasn't right.

"Your choices are very limited here, Harry. You can either save him by turning him into one of us, or let him die. He's lost too much blood to be healed through normal means," Elizabeth told him gently.

Harry wanted to scream.

He had killed two vampires to save his beloved, and now he would be taking Draco's human life and either letting it go, or exchanging it with a darker future. Draco would be livid with him, but Harry couldn't bear to let the boy die, he would never forgive himself.

"Didn't you say I'm the only successful hybrid between vampires and wizards?" Harry asked curiously. "Won't changing him kill too?"

The council bowed their heads and remained silent as they exchanged thoughts. Finally Elizabeth's eyes pierced him and she looked hopeful. "It is a possibility, but we feel that he was made for the transformation, the same as you."

They led him down the hall and to a private chamber where Harry was able to place Draco on a soft and downy bed. "What do I do?" Harry asked, feeling lost and confused.

"He needs your blood," Beatrix answered.

As the door shut behind her, leaving the boys alone, Harry ran a sharp nail over his wrist, mesmerized as crimson blood welled to the surface and then began dripping down his arm. He held it over Draco's mouth and let drop after drop fall onto the blonde's lips and tongue.

A sharp intake of breath startled Harry as Draco's tongue flicked out to catch the tiny red droplets and his eyes widened in shock and awe. Harry knew the boy could feel the power flowing into him from Harry's blood and began to feel slightly more hopeful that the transformation would be successful.

Draco latched onto his wrist and began drinking the blood directly from the wound. It was the most erotic feeling that Harry had ever experienced and he had to shut his eyes against the onslaught of images, things he hadn't seen since he first dreamed of Draco naked and writhing beneath him.

He placed a firm hand against Draco's chest and pried him off of his wrist as he started feeling a twinge of weakness float through him. "Enough," Harry hissed when Draco wouldn't let go.

Smoldering gray eyes met his, ringed in a metallic silver that hadn't been there before. Draco let go of his wrist and stared curiously up at his mate for a moment before his lips crashed into Harry's with violent fervor.

Harry could taste his own blood mingling with the flavor of Draco on his tongue, and as he let the blonde pull him down into his embrace, he nearly lost all faculties under the assault. Draco was powerful, greedily eating at Harry's mouth, devouring him as he began ripping off Harry's clothing with a force that had not existing in the boy before.

A quick movement had Draco pinned to the bed, and Harry pulled himself just out of reach. "Draco," he breathed.

"Harry," the boy whined, trying to kiss him again.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked, worried about the effects of the transformation and wondering if Draco was in his right mind.

"I could be better," he purred, putting all his strength into pulling Harry back against him.

"I turned you, you're a vampire now," Harry told him carefully. "I'm sorry," he added.

Draco rolled his eyes and gave up the fight to kiss Harry again. "I was dying," he told him. "I understand."

"But-" Harry began to protest, not understanding how Draco could be so ambivalent to Harry transforming him.

"I feel like my whole body is on fire Harry, and you're the only one who can put it out," he moaned. "Please, I want you, I need to have you; just give in."

Harry took a deep breath and let the unmistakable scent of Draco wash over him. He tore down the walls he had erected when he thought of how badly he could hurt Draco in his frail human form and let himself feel the passion that he had felt at their first meeting.

He dove at Draco's mouth, resuming the fiery kiss where they had left off and quickly disbanded their clothing across the room. Like silk their bodies meshed together, fitting like some ancient puzzle given the form of the two immortals, light and dark, mates for eternity.

Harry took Draco in deep but gentle strokes and he watched as the blonde's eyes fluttered shut in anticipation of their climax. After trying to keep Draco safe from this very fate, he finally let himself fulfill their twin destinies by bonding with him in carnal passion.

"I love you," Draco whispered, and Harry returned the sentiment as their bodies each reached orgasm, shuddering through them like a rocket.

Harry blinked as he felt another consciousness merge with his own, and suddenly he could feel every ounce of bliss that Draco was feeling in addition to his own.

"Harry?" Draco asked curiously, still panting even though the need to breath had left his body.

'_I'm here_,' Harry responded without speaking aloud.

"I thought that was what I was feeling," Draco responded, not understanding his powers enough to be able to talk through his mind.

Harry ran a fingertip along Draco's bare torso and smiled over at him. "We're inseparable now," he told Draco, not sure how the boy was going to take the news in their post coital state.

"It should have always been that way," Draco replied, snuggling against Harry's rock hard chest.

"I agree," he said, kissing Draco's lips lightly.

The door slammed open and though they made no move to truly cover themselves, Harry lifted his knee slightly to block their intruder's view of Draco.

Snape stood in the doorway sneering at him. "They want to know what you did to those other vampires. I recognized _reducto_, but not the other. What did you do to Vladimir?"

"I drained him," Harry replied. "I extracted his life force."

"And did what with it?" Snape asked incredulously.

"Gave it to Draco, used it to make him like me," Harry answered honestly.

"You bonded with him didn't you?" he asked, looking dejected.

Harry nodded, reading the disappointment and plans to change his decision running through Snape's mind, and he chuckled. "I love him, Severus. I will still protect you though, you don't need to worry."

Snape sighed with visible relief. "I'd like to stay, but I don't want to be given over to some crusty old vampire," he told Harry.

"I'll see what I can do," Harry chuckled.

"They want you to stand against the King's army with your power," Snape informed him.

"I know," Harry replied with a solemn nod, having already plucked that information from Snape's mind.

"Will you?" he asked softly.

"I'm not sure yet," Harry replied honestly. "I have to destroy the king though."

"For the council?" Snape asked.

"The king ordered Vladimir to kill Draco. I took that order from his mind as I took his life force. I now know everything that he did."

"Is that a lot?" Snape chuckled.

"A thousand years worth of knowledge, now locked inside my mind," Harry replied with a nod.

"Is there anything helpful? Anything I can relay to the council?"

"The king sleeps," Harry whispered. "The rest of us do not, but the king, he sleeps in his Golden Tower because he is too weak to stay awake."

"That could certainly be useful," Snape mused.

Harry agreed, though he wasn't sure to what extent he could use the information just yet. Snape left them alone again and Draco let Harry feel how worried he was.

"I don't want you risking yourself. Let's just leave, we can go back to the manor. Our parents miss us I'm sure," Draco whispered.

"There is no way out yet, but if I kill Crispan, then the council said they'd let us go," Harry placated him, though he was worried how honest the council members were.

"You don't trust them," Draco said, repeating Harry's own thoughts out loud.

"No, I don't. I don't trust anyone but you at the moment," he mused and smiled at the intense joy that filled Draco's mind at his words.

"Promise not to leave me," Draco begged.

"It would be impossible for me to leave you," Harry told him, smiling lightly, and Draco knew from Harry's mind that it was true.

Authors Note: I'm in the process of packing and moving into my new house, so writing time is starting to lag. I've posted a poll regarding this problem on my yahoo group (which you can find on my profile) and anyone wishing to weigh in can join and add their two cents.


	18. Chapter 18 Futures and Promises

Authors Note: Many thanks to my beta, Robert, who was instrumental in the ending of this chapter (and also to his doggie Crystal who kept his fingers warm throughout his ardurous work with loving licks.)

Chapter 18 Futures and Promises

Daylight streamed into the vast manor library through giant stained glass windows as Narcissa sipped at her tea and poured over volume after volume of vampire lore looking for something that might help her sons.

All week she had wandered the manor in a grief driven haze, only rarely acknowledging even her husbands words.

Harry leaving had been heartbreaking enough, but Draco following right after him, reckless and lovesick, made her worry deeply over his fate. Harry at least could take care of himself, and would certainly protect Draco if her son made it to him, but would he survive the journey? And if he did, would he survive the colony of vampires he was storming into?

On the third day she realized that sobbing alone in her private quarters would do no good, and that though her husband seemed torn between staying to comfort her and riding off after their children, she knew he would be little help as well.

She had to do something, anything to at least _feel_ as though she were contributing to her family's health and well-being.

So she did research.

The sunlight glittered on the surface of the magical wall covering of their family tree and she looked up to marvel at it. There was one of these murals for the Black family in her old childhood home and she had always loved it, though it was noting in comparison to the beautiful piece of art that was the Malfoy Family Tree.

It held a polished silver tree in its center and on each branch was a silver frame containing a magical portrait and a small plaque with a name engraved into it. The tree had a way of predicting things sometimes, and adjusted itself at once when there was a change in the family, no matter how far away they were.

She recalled the day that Harry's frame was added to the tree, and she had caressed it lovingly, happy that he was so easily recognized as part of their family. The portrait still looked down at her, Harry's ethereal face smiled widely and glanced over at Draco's portrait.

Narcissa was happy to see that her son was still alive, as no death date had been carved below his name, but something was different about him and she stared, not understanding what it could be.

"Draco," she whispered, and ran her finger along his frame, which had merged together with Harry's, and Draco smiled at her, baring his newly grown fangs.

With a wide-eyed gasp Narcissa ran from the room, calling out for Lucius, who met up with her in the corridor outside the parlor. "He's a vampire!" she shouted, caring little how unladylike it was to run through the manor and scream out to her husband.

"Harry?" Lucius asked, clearly unsure what the news in that statement would be.

"Yes, Harry," she replied sarcastically. "I'm so excited because I finally realize that Harry was a vampire all this time."

Lucius huffed and gestured for her to get on with her actual revelation.

"Draco. Draco's a vampire now too. His frame has merged with Harry's, they must have bonded," she shrieked, feeling silly, but unable to contain her enthusiasm over her sons being together at last.

"Is this what you wanted?" Lucius asked her, seemingly confused.

"Of course," she scoffed. "I love my children and wish for their happiness, and nothing would make them happier."

Lucius sighed and rubbed his temples lightly, no doubt thinking of his last few encounters with the vampire Harry. "They'll be very powerful, more so now then ever before."

"You can worry about that later," she huffed. "Our boys are bonded," she repeated and pulled her husband toward the library so that he could see the tree for himself.

As she approached, she noticed something that nearly made her faint from joy. Below the merged frames of her sons now hung three smaller frames that were still blank, but as she knew from her experience with the Tree, those frames would some day be filled with small portraits as well.

She turned and looked at her husband, who despite his worries over the immense power their sons would hold and the potential for it to backfire, was prouder than she had ever seen him. A single tear fell from his eyes and he wrapped his larger stronger hand around her own more delicate one.

"Grandchildren," he whispered reverently and caressed the tiny frames with his other hand.

Narcissa only spared a fraction of a thought for how those children might come to be, or even _what_ they would be once born, but was happy to know that her sons were happy and healthy and hopefully on their way back to them soon.

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At this rate Draco wondered if he would ever get to go back home.

The Council had kept Harry in their chambers for what felt like days as they prepared him for the upcoming battle. Draco never left his side, but even though they were now the same, both this elusive breed of hybrid that the vampires seemed to covet, Draco was still left out of most of the planning.

Not that he minded.

His thoughts were otherwise occupied on Harry and the things he wished to do to him once they were able to be alone. Every spare moment they had together they spent in Harry's quarters alone and naked, and even now he could see Harry's pale and perfect body writhing beneath him in his memories of that morning.

Love for Harry never faded, and though just days ago he would have thought it an impossibility for him to care deeper for Harry, it was exactly what happened. As Harry and Draco grew closer, their love grew along with them, its power rivaling even Harry's magical abilities, which were astounding everyone on a much larger scale than ever before.

With a thought his mate could shred another vampire to pieces or drain their capacity to think clearly, sending them to fight their own and kill them in Harry's stead. It was all terribly gruesome, but Draco cared little as long as his Harry remained victorious and that soon they could leave and return to their real home.

He knew that part of Harry wished to stay, as once their work was finished, it would truly be a glorious place for all who were left. He could see vividly Harry's memories of feeling caged inside the manor, having to be careful where he ventured to avoid the sunlight and only getting to leave at night.

But then he also saw the extreme sadness Harry felt at leaving Narcissa and his want to see the gardens again, even it were in moonlight.

All Draco could think of was letting Harry take him in the manor garden, feeling the silky soft flower petals caress his skin as Harry entered him over and over.

Harry turned and looked at him sharply, a playfully admonishing look on his face as he told Draco silently to stop being so dirty and pay attention. Draco merely smiled in response and tenderly squeezed his lover's hip where his hand permanently rested during these meetings.

"I'd rather they all not see a clear picture of what we do in private and you're unable to block them from your thoughts yet," he teased.

"Too late," Laurel replied with tinkling laughter. "We all envy your bond and love that Draco pays so close attention to your lovemaking," she said with a wink.

Harry rolled his eyes and let his hand smooth up and down Draco's thigh, a nervous gesture he had begun recently.

"His fantasies are some times as vivid as his real memories," Linden noted. "Such a gift."

"Perhaps we should get back on topic," Harry suggested dryly and Draco attempted to clear his mind of all images of Harry naked.

Apparently sensing Harry's dislike for their invasion of his private life, Elizabeth agreed at once and they picked up where they had left off on the act of breaching the walls of the golden kings palace.

"I'm not sure we should be the ones attacking," Harry remarked. "Won't it show his followers that we're the ones being peaceful if we simply let them come to us."

"It would bring the fighting into our halls and could cause our people to be injured," Montblanc protested.

"But I could destroy hordes of them at once if I needed to," Harry replied. "If I positioned myself at our borders, they would never make it far enough to see the amethyst towers."

"It might be simpler for you to eliminate the threat at its source by killing the king," Alexandra mused. "You could sneak in and out alone and then his hold on the people would be finished."

Draco tensed; his sharp nails digging into Harry's flesh.

"What is it?" Harry asked, no doubt feeling Draco's anxiousness.

"I don't want you going alone," he replied.

Harry tucked a lock of platinum blonde hair behind Draco's ear and smiled. "I won't do anything that makes you uncomfortable," he assured.

"Swear it?" Draco asked, feeling the ancient council stir at Harry's words.

"I swear it," Harry promised. "And no one here would dare try and make me if they wanted my help," he added, most likely for the council's benefit.

Draco nodded and leaned against his mate, letting the comfort of his presence wash over him. He felt strong and sure in this new and improved body except for when it came to Harry. He knew deep down that Harry felt the exact same way about him, but it still made him nervous to need to rely on someone else. Aside from his parents, Draco had never counted on anyone, and now his heart, his sanity and even his life rested in the hands of another. It was still a tad disconcerting.

"I love you, and I would never do anything to upset you," Harry projected into his mind, and Draco could only smile contentedly as the council agreed to Harry's plan of letting the others come to him.

----------------------------------------------------

Snape looked around the golden palace, noticing how carefully watched he was, unlike in the amethyst towers where they seemingly ignored him as a threat.

He felt important here, and he enjoyed the feeling.

A thin, young, beautiful vampire boy named Tinsel led him through the mighty golden corridors and pushed through a set of large oak doors leading into the King's private chambers.

Crispan was sitting at his desk, scribbling furiously at several parchment rolls when Snape entered and dropped to his knees before him.

The king looked up and appraised him with narrowed eyes and got up to stand in front of Snape's bowing form. "You wished to see me?"

"I hear you are looking to conquer the Potter boy," Snape said.

A soft curl of a smile graced the king's lips and he took Snape's hand and helped him to his feet. "I am at that, yes."

"I could bring you Potter, if you would agree to turn me," he offered.

"How?" the king demanded.

"I was his tutor and friend when he was a human. I watched and counseled his transformation. He trusts me," Snape replied.

"And you no longer desire him?" The king pressed, reading Snape's original intentions for the boy written clearly on his face.

Snape shook his head. "He's just as desirable, but my obsession with him faded when he bonded with Malfoy," he said with a slight snarl at the blonde's surname.

The king circled Snape's tense form and finally stopped and pulled him close, caressing a soft satiny hand down the potion masters cheek. "Yes, that is very common. A vampires allure for others fades when they bonds with their mate. I can see that you would sacrifice him for a place among us, but you crave something more than immortality," he mused. "You crave companionship."

Snape nodded deftly, his eyes lolling back at the simplest of touches. "I do," he moaned.

"You wished for Harry to covet you the way he does Draco, and when they bonded, your love for him drained away," the king confirmed from his mind.

"You want to be absorbed completely by us, taken into our golden throng and mated with one of our own," the king whispered delicately into his ear, as if confessing his perpetual love and adoration.

"Yes," Snape groaned, and nearly collapsed to his knees again as heat pooled in his groin and he clung to the King's robes.

"I shall grant these things if you bring Harry to me," the king promised.

With a shuddering sigh, Snape bowed his head and left the presence of the king. He wrapped carefully constructed shields around his mind and set off to locate Harry, bring him to the king and finally get his due.

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Sweaty and sated, Harry rolled over to assess the damage done to his lover's chest, but the gouging wounds he had inflicted on the pale luminescent flesh as his orgasm rode him were already healed.

"I feel different," Draco murmured, gently running a hand over his abdomen.

Harry mimicked his movement, concerned that he had left some bit of lasting damage and nearly jumped from his skin as he felt a heart beat inside a body that should have none. He pressed his ear to Draco's stomach and his eyes went wide. "Draco, oh my beloved," he cooed.

"What is it?" Draco asked, his voice laced with panic.

"You're with child," Harry told him. "_My_ child," he added, unable to stop the grin from forming on his face.

Draco blinked rapidly and tried to focus on his body, and once he knew what to look for, he was able to hone in on the intruder easily enough. "Baby," he whispered lightly, confusion and awe both mixed in his voice.

Harry nodded and began kissing Draco's stomach with delicate sweet lips.

"But how?" Draco asked. "We're men, we're technically dead and… well, I think that's enough to make this impossible quite frankly."

"Magic," Harry replied with a wink. "Everything that has ever happened in my life seems impossible until it happens," he noted and then frowned at Draco's still shocked expression. "Are you unhappy?"

It was a question because Harry couldn't tell. He couldn't pin down what Draco was feeling, because not even Draco could pin it down. "I'm not sure. I… I just never thought-" he began but was interrupted by a knock at the door.

Harry scowled at the offending plank of wood as if it were the door that had interrupted his lover. "I'll go and see who it is," he said and slipped on a pair of loose trousers, padding outside.

"Severus?" he asked curiously when he saw who had knocked. "I have the best news!"

Snape rolled his eyes slightly and shook his head. "Whatever it is can wait," he replied gruffly. "This cannot," he added, holding up a thin glass vial of pale green liquid.

"What is it?" Harry asked, taking the vial and uncorking it.

"The council asked me to make it for you, it should boost your powers during battle, but I'd like you to test it first to see if I need to adjust it," Snape replied easily.

Harry merely shrugged and upended the contents of the vial into his mouth. He doubted there was much any potion could do to harm him, plus he trusted Severus at his craft.

Almost at once Harry's body began to tingle as his solid heart started to beat anew, sending once stagnant blood rushing through his veins like he hadn't felt in months. He clutched his hands into and out of fists marveling at the feeling he had once taken for granted as the blood coursed through him, making his skin flush a vivid pink. The violent thud of his heartbeat made him grin until the room began to spin, and Snape's face formed a smug grin as Harry wobbled on his feet, tipping forward only to be caught by Snape's waiting arms. "What was-" Harry rasped, but found he was unable to get the words around a tongue that now felt like rough cotton.

Snape chuckled darkly and leaned into Harry, their faces merely inches apart. "Clearly I lied before about the potions intentions," he told him knowingly, but refused to elaborate.

Harry tried to fight the effects of the mysterious liquid, tried to keep his eyes open, but could only hear the faint crack of glass on stone as the vial slipped from his hands, could only feel an icy chill work its way into his flesh and could only see thick ominous black edging its way across his vision until all was dark and Harry had no choice but to succumb to the fate that awaited him.

Snape knelt beside the now-still vampire and lifted him easily from the floor, pulling his face close once again. He traced a finger along Harry's pale white jaw and smiled reverently at the boy he once believed would give him his happy ending. In a way he still would, just not in the way Snape had originally planned.

He blinked his obsidian eyes to clear away all useless thoughts and remind him of his task. With Harry's limp form draped in his arms, he strode quickly to the place he had arranged to meet the King's guard, and without a backward glance he fled the Amethyst tower with his prize.

Authors Note: Bum Bum Bum!! hehe. Snape voodoo dolls anyone?


	19. Chapter 19 Don’t Sleep to Dream

Authors Note: Many, many, many thanks to Robert for his beta work on this chapter. He made tons of good suggestions which I incorporated into this chapter!

Chapter 19 Don't Sleep to Dream

The world closed in on Draco as Harry left him alone in their chamber to address Snape's sudden appearance. The man had seemed insistent, and something about the way he held himself worried Draco slightly, but he knew that Harry could handle himself easily enough against the Potions Master if it came to it.

He let his hand rest against his still flat belly as he pondered how drastically his life, or rather un-death, had changed in such a short period of time. Just a few months ago he had been an only child attending the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry known to man. He was planning to join in the family business of dark artifact importation and start a proper family with a wife and children.

How quickly his plans had fallen to the wayside when he met Harry.

Now he had a friend, a brother, a husband and a mate, and soon Harry would be the father of their child.

How in Merlin's name was he supposed to have a child?

Aside from it being a painful and physical impossibility, how was he, a bloodsucking vampire, supposed to raise an infant. Even with Harry's help he had no idea how such things were done. What if he attacked it, or what if he was too harsh when he handled it and broke its fragile bones?

He couldn't even stop calling the baby 'it'!

Would their child be a human, a vampire, or something in between? Would it look like him or like Harry or a cross of both traits? Would it be a boy or a girl? So many questions loomed in his mind begging to be answered, but Draco didn't really think he cared what the answer to any of them was as long as the baby had Harry's eyes.

It was easy to imagine he and Harry playfully chasing a tiny green-eyed girl through the Malfoy Manor gardens. She would have thick blonde ringlets and soft rosy cheeks and she would be wearing a frilly blue lace dress that no doubt Narcissa would have clothed her in.

Harry would gloat over her and spoil her rotten while Draco would need to be the more sensible parent, making sure she attended to her studies as much as she played.

He could imagine having picnics in the garden, their whole family gathered for sandwiches and tea while the roses bloomed and left their heady aroma lingering all around them.

But the beautiful picture he painted began to slowly fade as he realized that if they were in the garden it would have to be night, and it wasn't proper for a young girl to play at outdoors at night. Also this would all depend on being able to escape the underground passages of Sugarloaf Mountain and being able to return to Malfoy Manor in the first place.

He didn't want his child born underground, and he didn't want her to be forced to live without sunlight just because they were.

A few minutes later found Draco watching the door impatiently, waiting for his mate to return to him and explain how such an impossible thing could be occurring inside his body and what in Merlin's name they were going to do about it. Once nearly half an hour had passed and there was still no sign of Harry's return, he went to the door only to find the corridor empty.

If Draco's heart could beat, it would have been beating furiously in his chest at the idea of Harry going missing without explanation.

It wasn't like Harry to leave his side for any reason, but then again, what if he was spooked by the news that Draco was with child? What if he had only been pretending to be excited and was actually disgusted by the thought of it?

He tried to reach out, search for Harry's mind, but he hadn't been very good at that before and could usually only hear Harry when he projected directly into Draco's mind. Even so, the haunting silence that met him when he searched out for his love made him shiver.

As he made his way around the corner, a sharp crunch met his ears and he looked down to see a cracked vial on the cobblestone floor. He held it up to the light of the torches and could see the last vestiges of a luminescent green potion.

His mind immediately returned to Snape, who was the only person Harry trusted enough to leave Draco's side with. He thought for a moment the Potions Master had finally found a moment to slip Harry his love potion. However, a quick sniff at the liquid brought him images of hellebore and Venus flytrap resin, both ingredients that would knock out even a vampire for a long sleep.

Just how Snape managed to give Harry the potion, and more importantly _how_ it worked on a vampire was still out of reach. He thought he could smell orange essence, which was known to increase blood circulation in humans and that paired with the jasmine flower might have been enough to get the toxin flowing through Harry's veins, but the 'why' continued to elude him.

Knowing Snape as he did though, he could easily imagine the man changing allegiances. Just the brief snippets of the man's mind he had heard recently were riddled with anger and feelings of betrayal over his and Harry's bonding.

It was the only thing that made sense, as the Council already had Harry under their thumb and would have no reason to drug him and steal him away. And there was only one man who wanted Harry as much as the Council.

King Crispan.

He ran with an otherworldly swiftness to the Council, pleading for entry as he formulated his plan to storm the golden castle.

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Harry woke up to the sound of silence.

Just the act of waking up after not a wink of sleep in months was jarring enough, but he had no idea where he was or how he got there.

The gliding sound of tapping footfalls reached his ears and he recalled at once what had happened.

Snape had drugged him and kidnapped him.

But to what purpose?

Then the smell of arrogance and power assaulted his senses and he knew at once it was King Crispan, making the whole plot unfold before him. Snape had turned traitor and stolen him for the king.

He sat up – or rather, tried to sit up – but found himself bound securely to a thick wooden structure. He tried to tear the binds, but his strength was a tenth of what it should be, as if he were mortal again.

The thought of that made him at once both elated and angry. He would give much to be able to live a proper mortal life with his love, walk through the gardens and raise their children.

Children.

His beautiful mate was pregnant with their child, probably wondering what had happened to him, probably worried sick, and knowing Draco as he did, probably thinking of doing something drastic. He tried to open that connection to his beloved, tried to listen to his mind, call out to him to let Draco know what had happened, but there was no thread connecting them: no golden cord to tether their minds together.

Harry growled as he heard Snape approach, his eyes narrowed in focus to try and disintegrate the evil traitor on the spot, but nothing happened. Even reverted back to a mortal he should have his magic.

Crispan laughed from the doorway making Harry's skin crawl. "Foolish as you are I'll still have you as mine," he said.

"How am I foolish?" Harry asked, rising to the bait.

"You're not mortal, your powers have just been dampened so that you cannot harm me or my helpful servant," he replied, gesturing toward a very glowing Snape.

"I'll kill you both," Harry hissed, pulling against his bonds.

"You could, but by the time our king is finished with you, you'll rather kiss me for this," Snape laughed.

"Clearly you're just as delusional as he is," Harry scoffed, but Snape only shrugged elegantly as Crispan approached him.

At that, Harry realized for the first time that he was nude, and that the wooden frame he was bound to was in fact a bed.

Crispan shed his robes, revealing a young taut body despite his many years, but Harry looked away, never caring to set eyes on anyone but his mate.

The king growled and pulled Harry's face to look up at him and kissed him roughly.

When the king finally released his face, Harry jerked to the side and spat, trying to clear his mouth of the taste of the king's lips. "You're not Draco."

"In a moment you will far prefer me to that insignificant infant," the king replied, seemingly assured of the fact.

"And how do you propose to sever me from my bond? It's not possible," Harry scoffed.

"It is possible, and only too easy to do," the king noted. "Just three bites. One on the throat, one over the heart, and one on the inner thigh and you will belong to me; mind, body and soul."

Harry felt his eyes go wide as something cold dropped in his stomach. Was it true? Was it really that easy?

"It will be easier of course if we were to dispatch of Draco, but if you cooperate, we need not hurt your lover," the king promised.

Taking a deep – yet unnecessary – breath he nodded, thinking he would do anything to keep Draco from being harmed. "Get on with it then," he muttered.

The king smiled warmly and ran his hands over Harry's bare flesh causing him to shiver with disgust. "Just bite me dammit, you're not going to seduce me into joining you."

With a violent snarl the king bit into Harry's neck making him wince in pain while Crispan tore at his throat and thrust against him. He could feel the king's lust boiling over into his mind even though he was heavily shielding his actual thoughts from Harry. The images flashing through his mind made him want to retch.

When he pulled back, Crispan's lips were covered in blood, but Harry could already feel the skin of his throat weaving back together. "Nothing yet," he mocked with a smug grin.

With a similar snarl the king bit into Harry's chest cavity, just over his heart and the pain from it made Harry writhe in what the king mistook for pleasure. With a free hand the king stroked Harry's side and let his trailing fingers hover just over Harry's exposed and flaccid cock.

Again he pulled away, mouth coated with Harry's blood, but this time the brunette could actually watch the skin of his chest knit back together. Snape watched too, his eyes alight at the display.

The king followed Harry's gaze and frowned at Snape, obviously hearing the other man's lurid thoughts as clearly as Harry could, if not better. "Leave us," he ordered.

"But, sir," Snape stuttered, but the king held up a steady hand.

"The next bit requires my complete concentration as I have to merge my life force with his to create a new bond. His body must react to me as it currently does for Draco," the king said.

"What if something goes wrong," Snape protested.

"I've done this dozens of times," the king spat waving him off, and Harry knew that the council's words were true in that moment. The king kept making mates for himself and then killing them off when he grew tired of them or when they disagreed with him. "Nothing will go wrong," he finished and sent Snape from the room.

"Don't be surprised when your body begins to crave mine," the king told Harry in a low and what Harry was sure he meant to be seductive voice. "You'll want me to fuck you right away," he assured him, and Harry shuddered thinking of Draco and when he changed him and how he immediately wanted Harry to take him.

Then he thought of Draco's beautiful body, and slick platinum hair, his smoldering gray eyes and that smirk he got when he was thinking naughty things. Then his mind wandered to his child, their child, the one that right now Draco carried within him and his heart melted.

He was still thinking of Draco and his immense love for the boy when Crispan bit him for the third and final time, just in the crease of his leg, the king's face so close to his groin that his golden hair brushed along his cock.

This time the teeth sinking into his flesh didn't hurt though, he felt like he was floating above the world, leaving it all behind him. Then his body began to tense, his muscles jerking uncontrollably and breaking one of the binds.

As the spasms began to cease, the world came spinning into Harry's vision to assault him once more, and he looked up into the glowing face of the king.

A slow smile curled on Harry's lips as he looked up into Crispan's sharp expectant eyes and he felt a sense of peace wash over him.

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Authors Note: oh no...did it work? Does Harry belong to the King now? bum bum bum. I love you all and I'm sorry for my less frequent posting schedule, but a few of these fics are finishing up, so I think I'll be able to get back on track before the year is out. Little plastic glow in the dark fangs for everyone that reviews!


	20. Chapter 20 Desolation and Decay

authors Note: Many thanks to my beta Robert for his work on this fic! This is the last chapter (although I do have an epilogue written which I will post next week) Sorry to see it end, but this just frees me up for more ideas!! so yay!

Chapter 20 Desolation and Decay

The Council spoke silently to one another, conversing only in their minds so that Draco could not hear their words. It was times like these that Draco almost wished he spent more of his time honing his new skills and less time in Harry's bed. Almost.

It was a moot point, however, when it came to the Council; Harry was one of the few who was powerful enough to hear their ancient thoughts. It made him wonder if he would ever be as powerful as his mate or if there was something else about Harry that made him special, and more powerful than the rest. If it was only the wizard blood that made him such an ominous opponent, then it seemed Draco should have the same advantages, but that didn't seem to be the case. Though – to be fair – Harry was months ahead of him in his training and much more used to his newly undead form.

"Would you speak your thoughts out loud for Merlin's sake before I go insane!" Draco shouted, ignoring the many looks he got from the Council member varying from annoyance to amusement at his outburst.

"It is not our intention to upset you, Draco," Elizabeth soothed, turning her ancient eyes on him.

"I just need to know what we're doing here. We need to leave, we need to go after Snape and get Harry back!" Draco exclaimed. He was exasperated with the calm and casual nature the vampire council exuded. He wanted action and results: he wanted his Harry back.

"We can't just ambush the golden palace as you tried to ambush our mountain," Montblanc scoffed haughtily. "We are not children."

Draco narrowed his eyes and gave his most withering Malfoy sneer. "I am no child, and that is my mate whose fate you are all deciding. We must retrieve him!"

Elizabeth made to answer Draco, her mouth opening to reveal delicate pearly white fangs, when a sudden gasp from Laurel halted her words. "What is it sister?"

Laurel's eyes blinked rapidly and colored over in milky white and when she spoke, her voice was booming and resonated through the hall, making the crystal chandelier sing with tintinnabulations above their head. "There has been a change," she announced in that wall shaking voice. "Something irrevocable has happened within our Kiss and the Chosen One is at the heart of it."

"What has happened, sister?" Asriel asked, his own voice a raspy whisper in comparison to the echo of Laurel's, which still lingered among them.

Her milky white eyes blinked again and faded back into their previous obsidian and she shook her head sadly. "I can see no more. There was a mighty wooden bed and the Chosen One was strapped to it, the one you call Snape hovered nearby and I could see the Chosen one through Crispan's eyes. The king leers at our savior as if he is a fine delicacy to be enjoyed," she added angrily, the echoing boom of her voice fading back into the twinkling bell-like sound Draco was used to.

Draco clenched his fist and gritted his teeth at her words. "He cannot take him. Harry is mine!" he hissed, clearly fiercer than he had thought because several of the Council winced away from him.

In unison the vampires closed their eyes and bowed their heads, speaking silently once more, but before Draco could burst into a renewed fit, they looked up at him once more, seemingly resolved.

"Our entire army will be sent for him, with you as their leader," Elizabeth told him. "Tipal and Laurel will go with you, and the rest of us will remain here to watch after our flock."

Draco blanched, not expecting such an immediate response and pleased that he would not have to argue. The entire army at his disposal was far more than he would have bargained for. He bowed to the Council and left the glittering hall with Laurel and Tipal at his flanks.

Upon crossing the mighty wrought iron gates at the entrance of the Amethyst Tower, Draco found the army already assembled and awaiting his direction. It was a smaller group than he had imagined when he thought of an army, only five or six hundred gathered before him, but the force behind that meager number could have taken down an army of ten times as many humans.

The trouble was, of course, that they were not fighting humans.

"We march upon the Golden Palace. The traitorous King has our savior, and we will win him back!" Draco shouted and was pleased to hear the thrumming cheer that greeted his ears. "We will destroy all who prevent us from claiming Harry back, and that includes the murderer they call a king!"

With a signal from Tipal, the army nodded in understanding, and then in unison they turned away to face the tunnel entrance and filed away with a march that reminded Draco of thunder claps.

"We will get him back," Laurel assured him. "Unscathed and just as perfect as when he was taken from us."

Draco sighed; letting an ounce of the grief he had pooling in his still heart spill out and through his body. He had to get Harry back; he had to be with him once again: see him, feel him, smell him, taste him. Harry was the most important thing in his life and he would need him to help raise their child.

As he let his hand graze over his still flat stomach, he thought of the baby inside and of how much Harry would love it and how perfect a father he would be. He tried to ignore Laurel's probing gaze, and let his hand fall to his side at once, but it was too late.

Her obsidian eyes widened and flickered from Draco's face to his abdomen and back again. "You're not?" she asked, her face showing a mixture of wonder and disbelief.

"I need to get Harry back," Draco whispered. "I don't know what's happening and I _need_ him."

"I have never heard of such a thing. How can you be with child if your body is dead?" she asked, his voice a pleading thing.

Draco could only shake his head. "I don't know. All I know is that it is Harry's child – as well as my child – and I will do everything I can to make sure he sees it born.

A slow curl of a smile curled on Laurel's lips and she shook her head. "You do not carry Harry's child within you."

Frowning deeply, he glared at her with narrowed eyes. "What do you mean? I can feel it."

Laurel laughed, her whole body shaking with it. "You did not let me finish. I said you do not carry Harry's child, but rather his children. It is twins you carry, Draco. One boy and one girl, lovely as the sun is bright."

"How can you see them? How could you know that?" Draco asked, begging her to continue.

"I have a sight that far surpasses that of humans and even of most vampires. I can see your beautiful children now that I know to look for them," she said, still smiling with her words, but her smile quickly faded. "You should not have come with us, you should have stayed behind and safe within our tower walls."

Draco rolled his eyes in annoyance with her coddling and shook his head. "I can't stay behind when the life of my mate lies on the other side of this mountain."

Laurel sighed then – a heavy, hollow sound – and said no more. Draco let her keep her silence as they marched behind their army of vampire assassins. He preferred to have the time to think of how he would rescue his love from the clutches of a conniving king and a sneaky potions master.

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Harry looked up into the face of the king, his shimmering golden hair falling around his naked body like a curtain. He studied the man's eyebrows, and how they arched into points that made him look fierce and firm. He absorbed his smooth pointed nose and his pale pouting lips and his high-sculpted cheekbones.

The king had a thin neck, one that he recalled wanting to snap on several occasions, but suddenly found that unnecessary as he stared into Crispan's pitch black eyes. "Do you still love me?" Harry asked, but he only got a rasping choking response.

"How about want… do you still want me?" Harry asked, trying for another angle as he felt the power returning to his limps. He broke his binds with an easy snap of his wrists and put his weight into flipping his and the king's position; he found it a surprisingly easy thing to do.

Harry pinned Crispan's arms above him, those obsidian eyes now showing the first signs of fear Harry had seen in the man since his first demonstration of magic. His nude body writhed between Harry's thighs and he stilled them with a wave of his hand, paralyzing the king with his magic.

He memorized Crispan's body, every inch of pale luminescent flesh; right down to the throbbing erection that laid flat against his stomach. He watched it all very carefully as the King's toenails turned black, and that same deathly color began inching its way up his body.

"You put all your power into that last bite didn't you?" Harry asked, a smirking grin lighting his face.

The King didn't respond though, as he was too busy choking on his own tongue to let words pass his lips.

"I took your power from you, Crispan," Harry informed him in a singsong voice. "I would use it against you now, but I think that might be a bit redundant."

He continued to watch and smile as the blackened flesh crept higher and higher, some of the original pieces turning gray, then white, and finally to a powdery ash. Crispan no longer had toes, or feet or even ankles, and as Harry looked on, the King was slowly dying, turning into what he would have been if he were human still: ash.

Harry took great pleasure in the King's self inflicted demise, running his finger through the graying powder now coating Crispan's knees and lower thighs. He rubbed the ash between his fingers and held it over the King's head, letting the particles fall down onto his face like morbid snow.

"You tried to rob me of my future; you tried to take me away from Draco and my child," he growled, the smirk that had graced his face now a wicked and vicious thing. "I will revel in your death and I hope that it is as agonizing as it looks."

The King's mouth opened as if to talk, but no sound came out save an indescribable choking that Harry imagined must have been meant as a scream.

"You shouldn't have been so greedy. You should have been content with your kingdom and your palace and your people. You shouldn't have sought to claim me when I am already claimed by another far better than you and far purer than your tarnished heart has ever been and far more loving than you could ever dream of being," he spat.

The light that typically reflected in Crispan's obsidian eyes began to fade and Harry slapped his hand across the King's face, wiping the faint black residue from the back of his hand. "No, you can't lose consciousness yet. I want you to feel this, feel the pain of decay, feel the agony of your mistakes and your hundreds of years catching up with you all at once. Feel it all!" he demanded, growling.

Harry stood then, towering over the slowly decaying King, the blackened death now reaching his chest and bleeding into his neck. Moments later Crispan's eyes widened as the ash covered his face and seconds later his eyes were just thick gray powder as well. Harry howled, a fierce and piercing noise, and he kicked the pile of smoldering ruin that had been his captor, sending a smoky wave of ash across the marble floor.

With a heavy sigh of relief he stepped down, letting the pleasure of his victory wash over him and fill him before banishing it away, and looked for an exit. He found it quickly enough, left the room, leaving the now-ruined King behind him, and fled.

It wasn't even three corridors away from his final exit that he found another villain waiting to pounce. Snape lurked in a shadowy corner and balked when he saw Harry, still nude, in the hall. "Where is Crispan?" he demanded.

A delicious idea passed through Harry's anxious mind and he smiled. "Our King asked me to seek you out, he has a reward for you," he told him, letting his voice become as silky and seductive as it could be.

Snape's eyes, which Harry used to think of as black until he saw those of the Council and the King, lit up with glee. "Where is he?" Snape asked hurriedly.

Harry nodded toward the way he had just come. "Still in the bedchamber."

Snape made a move to follow Harry but then his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I assumed you would still be with him there, he said you would wish to copulate upon being bound to him."

Harry snickered and rolled his eyes. "Copulate? Who says copulate?" and he left Snape standing in the corridor gaping after him as he made his way back to the bedchamber. "Are you coming or am I to tell the King you refused to accompany me?"

Snape hurried to Harry's side and kept pace with him as best he could along the winding marble halls. "Did he say what my prize would be?"

He had to conceal his annoyance with the man who was his mentor turned captor. "He didn't say," Harry replied abruptly.

Snape stopped short and narrowed his eyes once more. "You're not acting as he said you would," he told Harry, letting his suspicious gaze linger over Harry's nude body, the lust evident on his face just behind his distrust in Harry's behavior.

With a quick and precise movement he pushed Snape to the wall, pressing his body against the potion master's thick black robes. He let his hand wander, tracing the muscled skin underneath them until he reached the waistband of his trousers and he let his fingers delay there, promising things he would never deliver upon.

"If you must know, dear Professor, my King acted as though he might share me with you. I'm trying not to get my hopes up as I am bound to my King's favor, not my own. His wish is my command and I do hope he wishes for me to ravish you," he purred against Snape's ear, relishing in the sound of his old mentor melting to his whim. "I dare not try to persuade him though. If he knew how much I desired you he might hurt you," he added with a delicate pout.

He pulled back then, just as it seemed Snape was about to lean in and capture his protruding lip, and he continued his journey through the corridors with Snape at his side like a salivating puppy.

"So you're not bound to him completely?" Snape asked after few moments of silence passed between them.

"I am, but I have always had an affection for you, Severus," he replied, giving the man the full weight of his emerald gaze. "Before Draco came along, I would have chosen you as my own," he assured him, making a show of grimacing at his beloved's name.

"Truly?" Snape asked in a whisper, and Harry had to try not to laugh at how easily the man was won over by delicate words and false promises. He imagined the King had done much the same to Snape and his poor human heart just couldn't take it.

Harry turned again and rested his palm against Snape's cheek and looked deep into his eyes. "Would I lie to you?" he asked in his most seductive tenor.

"When the King turns me into one of you, I could win you back!" he shouted, spurned into action by Harry's words. "I could do to you as he did and make you mine. We could be happy together, Harry."

"Keep that thought far from the front of your mind, Sev. The King has murdered for less," he warned.

Snape sighed and nodded somberly before following Harry once again. When they had finally reached the bedchamber, the same room where the ashen remains of the tyrant King laid sprawled along the bed and floor, he paused, his hand on the knob, and turned to his old mentor one last time.

"I cannot go inside, he bids me to remain here until he calls me. I think he means to change you this very moment as reward for bringing me to him," Harry whispered.

Severus's breathing hitched and he smiled excitedly. "I will be like you soon."

Letting a single finger trail along Snape's sallow face, Harry let his smile match with his old friend and mentor's smile. He felt a twinge of guilt for what he was about to do to the man who had once been the only friend Harry had at the Manor. That guilt was swept away as soon as he thought of that same man - a man who professed his love for Harry, who stood up to Draco in his honor when Draco was being stubborn and petulant and who was first honest with him about his fate – taking him from his love and his child and giving him over to that fiend of a King. All love for Severus was lost in that singular act and he kissed the man's forehead roughly and sealed his doom.

Opening the doors he ushered a bewildered Snape into the darkened hall and a moment later locked the doors behind him, with Snape inside, and himself in the hall.

He heard a confused call for the King, then a hollow scream as he found Crispan's remains, and another when he reached the door to find it locked and unmoving to him or his wand. "Harry!" he screamed though the massive gilded door. "Let me out, the King is dead!"

"I know," he called back. "You will soon follow."

With that he turned, ignoring the Potion Masters begging protests and pleas for his life and he sought out the King's guard.

The man he found didn't look terribly surprised to see Harry as he rounded the corner until he saw the distress in Harry's face as he held out his hands to the Captain of the Guard for help. "Please, you must come. That vile wizard Snape has murdered the King! I've locked him inside the bedchamber, but you must get him before he escapes!"

The Captain paled and ran at full sprint the way Harry had come, leaving Harry to calmly leave the palace unchallenged. He could hear the guard assembling toward the bedchamber, he could hear them break down the door and he listened closely to the sounds of Snape screaming as they ripped him apart and siphoned his blood from his traitorous veins. He was happy to hear him fight back, wounding at least four of the guard in the melee, but in the end, the last thing Harry heard before stepping through the massive oak doors, was Snape's final heartbeat.

Upon leaving the palace and stepping into the road that led to the expansive village a smile alighted his face and he broke into a run. At the end of the lane stood a gaping but ecstatic looking Draco and a snickering Laurel at his side, and behind them an army of hundreds. The townspeople of the Vampire city gathered and gawked at the display of a naked man running and scooping up the slight form of his vampire lover.

Harry laughed joyously as he kissed his beloved, a rough crashing of lips against Draco's pink and perfect ones. When he finally set him down, the boy pouted at him petulantly. "Well, it seems you can take care of yourself and don't need saving after all," Draco muttered.

"You're my hero regardless," Harry told him truthfully and kissed him once more before falling to his knees, lifting Draco's shirt and kissing his lover's still flat stomach. "You and our child kept me from falling for Crispan's trap. My love for you both outweighed his power and killed him in the process."

"He's dead?" Draco asked, pulling Harry back up to his own lips.

"He and Snape both. I think it's time to reform the Kiss under the Council's guidance and for us to go home," Harry told him. "I can't wait to tell mother of our child!"

Draco would have blushed if he could have, but instead he just looked over at Harry nervously. "Harry, about that. We need to talk."

"About what?" Harry asked, genuinely concerned. "Is our child okay?"

"Our child is fine, Harry… it's just… the word child only refers to one. I think the word children would be more appropriate," Draco noted, grinning wildly as Harry's eyes went wide with surprise and happiness.

Authors Note: So, fitting end? I already have the epilogue written, and an idea for a potential sequel, but I would love to hear what you guys would like to see. So for now I will leave you with these Snape and Crispan action figures with life-like burning options. Just hit that button on their back and watch them scream in agony. (Knight in Shining Vampire Draco and Not So Damsel in Distress Harry sold separately)


	21. Epilogue

Epilogue

"Are you going to Scarborough Fair, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme," Narcissa sang like an angel as she held up each herb in the lyric when she sang its name. Two beautiful children sat in the lawn in front of her staring in rapt attention at their grandmother.

"Father uses that one in his potion!" the young boy exclaimed, pointing at the twig of rosemary. He looked to be merely two or three years old and had jet-black curls that fell around his ears and perfectly framed his porcelain face. Silver eyes shown excitedly behind thick black lashes and he smiled revealing a pair of delicate fangs set within a row of pearly teeth.

"That's correct, Jacob. Can you name the other ingredients he uses?" she asked sweetly, ruffling the young boy's hair.

The boy looked up into his grandmother's icy blue eyes and thought about his father's potion. "Apple blossom," he began, his voice like chiming bells.

"Good, and what else?" she asked, setting aside the bundles of herbs she had resting in the folds of her white summer dress.

"Peppermint oil, aster, elder bark, flax seed," he continued, listing out each item on his tiny pale fingers. He stopped then and made a frustrated face as he tried to think of the final ingredient.

The young girl beside him huffed and raised her delicate hand into the air; her golden blonde curls bouncing in her excitement.

"Yes, Emily," Narcissa called on her with a smile.

"Our blood. The final ingredient to father's potion is a single drop of our blood," she answered smartly, sticking her tiny pink tongue out at her twin brother, who glared at her and pursed his lips.

"Poor sportsmanship," Narcissa said, shaking her perfectly manicured finger after her two grandchildren. "What have I told you both about sportsmanship?" she asked.

Both children huffed and crossed their arms over their chests petulantly and Narcissa laughed. "Jacob, you must learn to remain proud, yet not arrogant or rude if you are wrong, and Emily," she chastised, shaking her head at the girl. "You mustn't be a sore winner. No gloating, do you hear me?"

"Yes, grandmamma," they answered in unison, sounding a bit testy still, but dutifully obedient.

"Excellent. Now, I must tend to your grandfather, so why don't you go check on your fathers and see what mischief they are up to?" she told them with a smirk and sent the twins running across the garden giggling.

"Such lovely children," Lucius noted from behind her, taking her hand in his own and lifting her from the ground.

"I know. It's still impossible to believe sometimes that we could be so blessed," she sighed as she watched her grandchildren play a short game of tag in the greenhouse on their way to find Harry and Draco. Emily's frilly blue dress ruffled in the breeze along with her shoulder length golden curls as she stayed several paces ahead of her brother, the both of them moving at inhuman speeds.

They had traits that were obviously vampire in origin, yet they had human and magical traits to balance them out. It was the perfect marriage of three very separate cultures and species, which honed the children into brilliant, indestructible and beautiful creatures that weren't held back by the hindrances of any of their heritage.

Their speed and agility was second to none. They were already at the level of needing consistent tutoring and could compete with any first year Hogwarts student in academics, practical magic use, or even potions. They were stronger than the average human, but not as strong as their fathers. It was yet to be known if they would grow stronger still, or if they were at capacity in that particular trait.

Their magic was proficient, exceeding that of any wizard Lucius knew of save perhaps Harry, Dumbledore or Voldemort. Jacob had bested Draco in a duel only three days before, much to his son's chagrin.

The twin's thirst was easily managed with the potions the Council showed them how to prepare, but best yet was that the children were entirely immune to sunlight.

Lucius recalled the day that Emily first ventured to a window during mid-afternoon and pulled back the curtain. He had never heard such a terrible, heart-wrenching scream on the lips of Harry's mouth as he flew to her side, ready to whisk her away to Draco for healing, but found her completely unscathed.

After much prodding and pandering on his end, Draco and Harry reluctantly agreed to let both Jacob and Emily be exposed to controlled sunlight, and in larger and larger doses until it was obvious that both children were completely unharmed by the sun's rays.

Harry and Draco were both pleased that their children could go out into the garden or wherever they liked during the day, but he could tell that both fathers were despondent over not being able to join them.

Day trip after day trip, Lucius and Narcissa would be able to take Jacob and Emily out to see the world, while Draco and Harry waited for them to return, or for the sun to set so that they might join them.

Emily ran and leapt into her father's arms, their matching emerald eyes sparkling in the sun as he twirled her round and round amongst the flowerbeds.

"How is my Emma Lily?" he asked, using her full name over her more frequently used nickname.

"I beat Jacob again," she announced proudly, her grin breaking wide enough to expose her sharp little fangs.

"That's my girl," Harry cooed and tossed her into the air, only to catch her again in the next minute.

She squealed with delight and pulled on Harry's collar to whisper in his ear. "I think Jacob let me win."

Draco came behind her and tickled her out of Harry's arms and into his own. "A Malfoy never forfeits, and they _always_ win," he announced in mock arrogance.

"And what do they do if they are in competition with another Malfoy?" Harry asked, his eyebrows raised into his fringe.

Draco shrugged elegantly, the same answer he always gave to that argument. "Jacob," he called. "Did you let your sister win?"

Harry hefted the boy as he strolled over and set Jacob on his hip. "I might have," the boy answered noncommittally and his fathers both laughed.

As he watched the sunshine glisten on his children's hair Draco recalled the day that he thought he too might be fine in the daylight. When he found out about Emily and Jacob's immunity, he realized that he had never been exposed to the sun as a vampire. When he and Harry left the Kiss behind they traveled strictly by night, and they remained closed up in the Manor as soon as they arrived back home. He remembered the day he held his hand out the window dressings one morning at sunrise. He could recall how happy he was at first, thinking he was fine because he felt no pain, but then suddenly the sun rose higher against the horizon and began to blister and char his flesh.

Harry had been more cross with him that day than he'd ever been with him before or since. But with Harry's magic and a concoction of potions he designed, he was able to heal it into an unrecognizable scar.

His daughter ran her fingers along that scar now then brought it to her lips and kissed it. "Bad daddy," she lectured and Harry chuckled.

"You tell him, Em," Harry encouraged and laughed harder at Draco's frown.

"If you care to recall, it's because of _my_ brilliance and potion that we're not relegated indoors during the day while our beautiful children play outside," Draco announced haughtily.

"Yes, my love, I know. Don't I thank you for your brilliance every morning when I take your potion?" he asked.

Draco sighed. "Perhaps I'd like to be thanked more often," he added with a wink.

Harry grinned and smacked his lover on the bum. "That could certainly be arranged," he promised.

"Did you just spank daddy?" Jacob asked sounding completely horrified.

"Don't worry Jake, it's not a punishment, your father likes to be spanked," Harry laughed, ignoring Draco's eye roll.

"How could anyone like being spanked?" Jacob asked, rubbing his own bum as he recalled a recent discipline inflicted upon him by Draco after he bunted a house elf across the dining hall.

Harry and Draco both laughed as they carried the children around the garden. Harry was immensely grateful to his lover for the ability to walk in the gardens again. It had been Lucius's idea to try the children's blood as an antidote for the sun, and though he was reluctant to take blood from his precious children, it turned out that each batch, which consisted of potions that would last them both a month, took only one drop.

Draco was brilliant in his calculations and planning of the potion that eventually allowed them both to accompany their children outside during the day, even in the scarcest cloud cover. It only took him three tries to perfect it and after the initial successful batch he was even able to manufacture the properties from his children's blood so that he never had to take it from them again.

After that he marketed and distributed his light elixir potion to other vampires wishing to leave the colony in the Sugarloaf Mountains and lead well-rounded lives in the real world. It made them all a fortune, which Lucius was very pleased about and it allowed them the time and luxury to spend every minute watching their precious twins grow up.

For Christmas that year Draco and Harry were planning to give their parents something that Lucius had been begging for, and Harry could read from Narcissa's thoughts that she secretly wanted it as well. Immortality. Harry was able to see his being a vampire as a gift now, for it brought him so much, and he felt that by sharing that gift that he could keep his family complete and together forever.

Afterward they would travel back to the Sugarloaf Mountains as a family and meet once more with the Council. Hundreds had taken Draco's potion and left the confines of the glittering underground palaces, but thousands still remained, feeling a tie to the place that Harry likened to how he felt about the Manor.

They wanted to negotiate with the Council on what was to become of the Book of Lore. After the King's death, the kingdom and the book had been passed to them, but Harry felt an ominous sense of dread when he thought of the book. So they would go and see what they might be able to find out about the ancient text and what it now foretold.

For this beautiful autumn day though, he would be content to lounge in the gardens with his lover, his parents and his beautiful children.

Another sunset filled the horizon as Harry and Draco looked on, a child clinging to each of their necks. They had so much to be thankful for, and each and every sunset reminded them of it.

Death seemed to suit them perfectly, and what made them happiest, more than the sun, or vast fortunes, or even the end of epic vampire wars, was to know that they had each other, and their beautiful children for all of eternity.

Authors Note: Many thanks to my Beta, Robert (Ragnarok45) for his work on this story (this chapter included) He was such a great help in the shaping of the story. So thi sis the end, but as I think you can tell, I have a sequel in mind. I'm not sure when I'll start it because I have a few too many projects at the moment to keep up properly, but as this story seemed to be a fan favorite, I promise to keep it going. I love you all and please feel free to message me, email me or join my Yahoo group (links to all can be found on my profile page.) Little Drarry children for everyone!


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